Avatar: The Tale of Harry, Book 2: Equality
by stringdog
Summary: 5 years have passed since the Enlightened took power in the Fire Nation. The new Fire Utopia is ruled by the Fire Empress who in her quest for equality has become a tyrant who ruthlessly oppresses her own people. The Avatar must restore balance but desperate times call for desperate measure and Harry's only chance for success is to make a deal with a former, untrustworthy, foe.
1. Chapter 1

**Here is the second book in the 5 book Avatar: The Tale of Harry series. There is little to add here that isn't either in the summery of this story. The only thing I will not here is a word of warning for those who do not like politics in their stories. Just as the Voldemort and the Death Eaters in Purity represent the alt right and fascism, the antagonists of Equality, the Chosen and the Enlightened, represent Antifa and communism. The purpose of this is to show that both extremes are two sides of the same totalitarian coin. Given the nature of this story and the primary antagonist being a national ruler who's regime has to be brought down, this story will focus more on the effects of a communistic system. At least Books 3 and 4 will address similar issues, Book 4 more so than Book 3, so if this is not to your tastes then that is understandable. At the time of publishing the entirety of Book 2 has been drafted with each chapter being reviewed and edited prior to publishing and the publishing schedule will be the same as for Purity, one chapter a week starting from the date of publication. Book 2 is significantly shorter than Book 1 at only 32 chapters long (as is Book 3) and as such when it is complete I will be publishing at least one, if not two novellas associated with this story as the release date for Book 3 is set. No change in pairings and the rating is still M for language, sexual references and violence. So without further adieu here is the second Book in the Avatar: The Tale of Harry series.  
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 **Disclaimer: I do not own anything from either the Harry Potter or the Avatar: The last Airbender or Avatar: The Legend of Korra universes.**

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 **Avatar: The Tale of Harry**

 **Book 2: Equality**

 **Chapter 1**

Harry woke from his dream with a start drenched in sweat. Well not a dream so much but a nightmare. He had been having them for years now, ever since he defeated Voldemort. They varied but mostly his nightmares had him failing and dying at Voldemort's hands as all his blood was ripped from his body by the mad bloodbender. Others had him seeing the cold, dead eyes of all the Death Eaters and Purists he had killed during the Second Purity War. Harry knew it was foolish, that he had killed them in fair combat in life or death situations but that didn't stop him from dreaming about them.

Harry sighed as he rolled over in his bed and looked at the clock, it was 4:30 in the morning. Once again he hadn't slept well. Over the last few weeks he had not been sleeping well. He kept having vivid dreams that would wake him in a cold sweat in the middle of the night and it was not just the nightmares of Voldemort brutally killing him. There were dreams of the Spirit World and Korra, dreams of the world out of balance, and Harry knew exactly where that imbalance was coming from.

Putting his glasses on Harry checked the date next to his clock and sighed. It was 5 years to the day that Harry had placed Voldemort in his solitary cell to serve out his life sentence, 5 years since he had learned of the coup in the Fire Nation and the murder of Firelord Iroh, 5 years since the Enlightened had taken over the nation and rechristened it the Fire Utopia, 5 years since Hermione had declared herself Fire Empress for life. 5 years ago today the Fire Nation had been thrown into imbalance and subjected to a tyranny that if even half the rumors Harry had heard over the years were true, was the worst dictatorship in human history.

Rolling onto his back Harry closed his eyes and tried in vain to go back to sleep. Instead of sleep, Harry remembered that day 5 years ago vividly. He had relived it in his waking and sleeping mind on a regular basis ever since he had been informed that one of the things they feared had come to pass, the Chosen had made their move and now controlled an entire nation. The thing that stood out the most from that day was always the speech Hermione had given when she had declared herself Empress Hermione the Savior, the enlightened Fire Empress for life of the new Fire Utopia. Once again Harry felt his mind drifting back to that day.

 _Harry just nodded to the Warden when the man confirmed Harry's suspicions on who the new Fire Empress was. He had known that Hermione would come out from under the rock she had hidden beneath after her attempt on his life and strike when the world was least expecting it. This had likely been the Enlightened's plan all along, launch their coup while the rest of the world had its back turned to them when it was focused on the Voldemort Threat. It was clear that in order to succeed in their coup, the Enlightened had blockaded themselves in the Fire Nation to prevent from being toppled and arrested while they established their no doubt brutal dictatorship. They should have seen it coming but alas the threat of Voldemort had been too great and Harry wasn't going to blame anyone for their collective failure to rout out the Enlightened as soon as they had come to light. They had fucked up and underestimated the Enlightened's reach, resources and abilities and now they had to rectify that mistake as soon as possible._

 _As soon as Harry was on the United Air Force airship he hurried to the operations command room located in the center of the ship. The room had a VV hookup that was one of the most advanced in the world so that Commander Vane, Shacklebolt's replacement as Commander of the United Air Force when he had been elevated to General, could keep abreast of the news from all the nations. Right now all the senior crew along with Team Avatar, who had joined Harry in dropping Voldemort off at his prison cell, were gathered staring at the screen. Harry walked over to his friends, put his arm around Ginny and looked at the VV to see the scene that was about to unfold._

 _Hermione stood on the steps leading up to the entrance to Royal Palace. She was standing at a lectern in front of a large crowd of Fire Nation reporters, supporters who were waving signs and shouting support, and everyday citizens who had heard that something had happened and come to see what the fuck was going on. Hermione was surrounded in a semi circle by guards, along with a line of guards a few steps below her in front of the crowd. More guards enclosed the crowd, keeping an eye on the crowd. All the guards were wearing clean, crisp, military style fatigues in either red, green, blue, yellow, gray, or purple camouflage patters likely depicting their nation of origin or bending proficiency. They were all were armed and looked ready and willing to use force at her command._

 _Hermione herself was beaming in triumph as she looked out over the crowd. It disgusted Harry to see such a twisted, evil, person in a clear position of power but there was absolutely nothing Harry could do about it right now. Despite her barely 16 years Hermione looked calm, composed and confident which didn't surprise Harry at all as this was what she had always felt was her birthright. She was dressed in a double breasted blood red, military style tunic and cream pants that wouldn't have looked out of place on an officer. Around her neck hung a medal of an orange flame on a red ribbon that Harry would learn represented the Flame of Enlightenment the highest honor for valor in Hermione's new Fire Utopia. Other medals graced her left breast that would be revealed in time to have been awarded to her, by herself, for liberation of tyranny, valor in battle, and the restoration of equality. Her bushy hair hung lose around her face, trimmed so that it was shoulder length, and on her head was a circular gold crown made to look like a ring of flames and inlaid with rubies. It would become known to the world as the Crown of the Eternal Flame and it symbolized her status as Empress and as the only authority in the land. Hermione turned to the cameras to begin her speech, a speech Harry had a feeling Hermione had been waiting years to make.  
_

" _People of the Fire Nation, you are now free." Hermione declared loudly with utter authority and conviction that came from whole hearted belief in what she said. "The yoke of tyranny has been lifted, your shackles of oppression have been broken, and the inequality of the Firelords is now a thing of the past. You are finally free. Today while the combined military forces of the world converged upon Republic City and while the Avatar, in the only good act in his life, fought and defeated the evil incarnate that was Lord Voldemort, the Enlightened, of which I am their leader and the most enlightened and brilliant among them, were executing our own long planned liberation of the Fire Nation."_

 _Hermione paused her beaming at the bemused crowd in front of her. Her expression didn't falter despite the limited reaction of the crowd. Her supporters were cheering but they were few and far between, most of the citizens were looking around confused while the reporters continued to take pictures and murmur to themselves. Given the fact that Hermione was the second most wanted person in the world and was now standing triumphantly on the steps of the Royal Palace, the media was clearly intrigued as to why she was so brazenly in the open.  
_

 _"A few hours ago several teams of Chosen, benders born to parents without bending thus chosen by the spirits to have the gift of bending and are therefore inherently better and more intelligent beings, came to Royal Caldera City with me and took control of the various important buildings within the capital." Hermione continued after her pause. "It was thanks to our valiant, loyal, and brave supporters within these institutions, that had been loyal to the tyrannical regime, that we were able to take these inherently racist, sexist and bigoted institutions down. Our senior allies within the military have taken their rightful places in command of the armed forces and have called back our forces to protect our air and nautical borders from those who would wish to restore the tyranny of the Firelords."_

 _Once again Hermione pause expecting the crowd to cheer at her statements as if they had been waiting all their lives to hear them. Again the only cheering came from her supporters, the rest of the crowd just continued to look confused at her words. Hermione seem unperturbed by the lukewarm reaction and instead continued her speech._

 _"Once we had control of the institutions of oppression that we needed, those among the enslaved servants of the Firelord allowed the final team of Chosen, with me as their enlightened leader into the palace. There we overthrew the tyrant Iroh and ended the reign of tyranny that the Fire Nation has suffered for millennia at the hands of the Firelords. I myself brought down the dictator once and for all. Iroh was executed for his countless crimes by my noble and just hand. I succeeded where many have failed before me and finally liberated the Fire Nation from his oppression and that of all previous Firelords. Unfortunately we had to kill all of the Kyoshi Warriors who fought to the death to protect their slave master as he cracked the whip of oppression over them in one last attempt to save his worthless life. They were noble nonbenders who we are only initially here to help heal us after the 100 year war but who have been enslaved by the Firelords for over a century and brainwashed into believing the tyrannical beliefs of Firelords Zuko, Izumi and Iroh. Their deaths were pointless as we were there to liberate them and they will stand as a stark reminder for years to come of how badly years of institutional oppression can effect the minds of a once proud order."_

 _Here Hermione paused again and again she was expecting the crowd to cheer at the fact that she had just murdered Firelord Iroh, a benevolent ruler, and his loyal and very free guards because she saw Iroh as a tyrant and therefore the world must see him as one. It sickened Harry to see the glee and pride Hermione took in her actions. He had known that she had at best a tentative hold on reality but now it was clear that she was completely delusional. The crowds weren't cheering but muttering now while the reporters frantically began scribbling in notebooks on the developing story. Again Hermione didn't let the clear lack of support deter her as she silenced the crowd once more by resuming her speech._

 _"From this point on the citizen of the Fire Nation will no longer be oppressed by its ruler, they will no longer suffer from the structural inequalities that have plagued this nation since its inception. I am pleased to announce that as of this very moment the noble pureblood establishment has been abolished and those who have horded their wealth, who have enslaved their own citizens and who have aided Iroh in his oppression will be arrested for their numerous crimes and their wealth redistributed equally to all the poor working class citizens who deserve it, regardless of merit. My fellow citizens, from this point on the Fire Nation is no more. From now on it shall be known as the Fire Utopia, a nation where all are equal, where all will be treated fairly within the bounds of my laws. It shall be a place of peace and prosperity that will become a beacon for the entire world to follow, a beacon they should have already followed and if they had any sense will begin to follow right away."_

 _Hermione once more paused at the apex of her point with the clear expectation of cheers at her announcement that a new nation had been created. However Harry knew that most of the Fire Nation had loved Iroh and while there were inequalities that all nations suffered from, Iroh made it his goal, as did his mother and grandfather before him, to address and end them as best he could. Hermione was clearly out of touch with what the majority of the Fire Nation had wanted but it didn't seem to both her as she plowed on._

 _"All this will be achieved because I am Enlightened, I know what is right and best for all. I and I alone am fit to lead this nation. There will no longer be a need to compromise with fascists, with bigots, there will be no need for debate or discussion, No, there will only be my views of the world that are needed and those views, the views of the Enlightened are now supreme law in the Fire Utopia. From this point on what I say is law and to go against me and my views is to be a fascist, a bigot, a racist. Hate speech is finally illegal in the Fire Utopia after it was legal under the tyrant Iroh. I and I alone will be the judge of what constitutes hate speech and violating it will constitute a conviction in the eyes of the law and subject to whatever punishment I have deemed necessary. Equality of outcome is now a reality. Those who have been oppressed will no longer be oppressed while those who have done the oppressing will feel the lash of their own whips._ _ _Those who do not follow my laws will be punished for the fascists, the bigots, the racists, the intolerant people that they clearly are simply because they do not agree with my enlightened views. Furthermore,_ all forms of press, business, and entertainment are hereby nationalized and placed within my power to do with as I please and must now act subject to my ultimate approval. This has been done for the benefit of all for I know what is best for all citizen of not the Fire Utopia but the world. I, and those who loyally follow me without question, will ensure the preservation of equality within the Fire Utopia by any means I deem necessary."  
_

 _At this Hermione paused but not to elicit a reaction from the now speechless and shocked crowd, except her cheering supporters. She had done it to gesture to the surrounding guards who had closed to encircle all present.  
_

 _Harry could see that the press that were present were now looking very wary about what Hermione had said and they should be Harry thought. Hermione had just announced that she was personally going to censor the press and end free speech in the Fire Nation. Harry knew that as much as people hated it, hate speech was free speech and to allow one person the power to determine what hate speech was to basically ban any speech that offended that person and when that person was as easily offended as Hermione was that was not a good sign. Furthermore, it was clear that the guards were there to ensure that the press complied with Hermione's laws._

 _"Around you are members of the Chosen, my personal bodyguards and the roving enforces of my will, which is law." Hermione said proudly. "They will be my judges where I am not present and will be kept abreast of all the laws that I make. Remember that what I say shall be your new law. There will also be other institutions that are being set up as I speak that will ensure that my enlightened laws are followed."_

 _Again Hermione paused so that all could see her new elite police force. It was clear that Hermione was going to rule with an iron fist and while Harry was sure that long ago when Hermione started down this path she had done so with good intentions but now she was going to become the very thing she hated, a tyrant. Harry shuddered at the extent to which Hermione had already instilled a totalitarian rule in the Fire Nation and once again was reminded by how badly they had underestimated the reach of the Enlightened._

 _"Today by authority of three of the five original members of the Enlightened." Hermione continued the triumph clear in her voice. "I, Hermione, a Chosen firebender from a poor, oppressed, peasant village in the northern Fire Utopia, whose family has suffered under the yoke of tyranny, has been crowned your new Fire Empress. I, Fire Empress Hermione the Savior will now lead you into the light of equality, fairness, tolerance, and wisdom by enforcing my views as law. All I ask of you is to follow what I say without question and we will achieve my goals for making the Fire Utopia the greatest and fairest nation on the planet. Already those who are criminals to the Fire Utopia are being identified, sought, and arrested while those who are heroes who were locked away on false charges of terrorism are being freed. Unfortunately one of our greatest sympathizers and hero, Assemblyman Corbyn, was brutally murdered in a way that I shall not go into shortly after he was sent to the Boiling Rock to serve a life sentence as a political prisoner of Iroh's so he cannot be freed but his memory shall be honored for all times as a hero of the revolution. The evil Purists who murdered him have already been thrown into the waters of the Boiling Rock as punishment for their crimes."_

 _Harry just stared slack jawed at the screen when he heard what Hermione had done. Yes Corbyn had been brutally gang raped and murdered by the 10 Purists that they had sent to the Boiling Rock with him within a week of his arrival but his killers and the Purist sympathetic guards who allowed them into the administration segregation wing that housed Corbyn didn't deserve that horrific fate. No one, no matter their crimes, deserved to be thrown into boiling water while still alive. It wasn't a good sign for Hermione's so called benevolent and enlightened rule that she had begun it by slaughtering all the Kyoshi Warriors, personally murdering Iroh and then brutally killing a group of vile murderers who were already serving life sentences for the crime they had committed. It shocked Harry so much that he almost missed Hermione's next statement._

 _"Under me, you are all finally free from tyrants and oppression. Free from inequality and servitude. We are all equals now in both status and importance. No longer will there be classes, genders, races, nationalities. We are now one people under my enlightened leadership. After I have left today my Chosen, both those here with me now and across the Fire Utopia, will be handing out the Enlightened Constitution which sets forth all my initial new laws and expectations for this now infinitely better nation under my benevolent and wise rule. These laws will be updated and added to in time as I come up with more enlightened laws to lead you into the future. I know this adjustment for all citizens as we go from a life of oppression and oppressors to one of true equality. It will be a hard transition as you have all been conditioned to accept the tyranny of the Firelords but I am here to guide you and lead you in the transition from inequality to equality. My laws may not be fully understood to begin with as they were created by my enlightened, superior, mind but that is why my Chosen and other soon to be created authorities will enforce all my laws and be there to ensure this peaceful transition from tyranny to equality."_

 _Once again Hermione paused here beaming as if she had just given the Fire Nation the greatest gift that the nation had ever received and not just usurped power in a violent, blood coup. After a moment Hermione turned her gaze to stare directly at the camera as she delivered the next part of her speech._

 _"I now turn from domestic to international affairs." Hermione began in a serious tone as if she was about to scold the world for its wrong think. "And first I address_ _ _King Wu. I implore you to release the nonbender Enlightened Warren and the Chosen Tremlett from their wrongful imprisonment for life in the Catacombs Prison Complex in Ba Sing Se and return those heroes to us. They are innocent of any false crimes that the Avatar and former Firelord have accused them of and I order you as the sovereign ruler of the Fire Utopia to return my citizens to me so that they may receive the hero welcome they deserve._ I now turn to all the leaders of the world and demand that they either also implement my laws in their respective nations or if they prove to not be enlightened like I am then to be removed and replaced by those loyal only to me and my views. Only a being who has been enlightened like me has a right to rule a nation on this planet as only we know what is best for all. The world has seen what a madman like Voldemort is like, he was a racist, a bigot, a fascist and a tyrant who believed in the superiority of benders over nonbenders and the subjugation of the latter to the oppression of the former. Fortunately Voldemort finally been stopped and I applaud all of those who valiantly fought and in some cases died to end his reign of evil and terror but that fight is not yet over. There is still so much more to do."_

 _Once more Hermione paused and continued to stare at the camera. Harry knew that Hermione was at last about to address him personally. It was time to see the mental gymnastics she had gone through to make him out to be the evil one and not her._

 _"I know personally address Avatar Harry." Hermione said doing exactly what Harry expected from her. "When you were revealed to be the Avatar I offered you my wise and enlightened council. I offered you my views on equality, tolerance and justice and all I required from you was blind obedience to my views. However, you foolishly scorned my offer and proved to be just like the vast majority of the world who are not enlightened or chose to not follow the teachings of those like me who are. You then cheated in your firebending mastery test against me and then lied about it to the entire school thus conclusively proving my theory that you are the wrong person to lead the world into a better, equal, peaceful future that is greater than the one than it has been for millennia. I know that only I can do that. I thank the Avatar for finally doing something right in ending Voldemort and his evil but he is not enlightened and until he is he cannot be that symbol for equality, social justice and hope that I am right now. Therefore he is not welcome in internal Fire Utopia affairs and the Fire Utopia will not interact with the world in anyway shape or form until all the world leaders have agreed to enact my laws as their own. That is why our fleet and Air Force will permanently patrol our borders to prevent my legitimate and rightful rule from being overthrown by intolerant bigots unfit for their own rule until such time as I am satisfied all nations have followed my enlightened example. Only those who are confirmed to be truthful in their intents will be allowed in, those found to be trying to lie or deceive their way into the Fire Utopia will be executed for the spies that they are. If the Avatar or the now former Crown Prince Druzok, who unfortunately was busy continuing the vile oppression of the Northern Water Tribe and thus evaded the justice he so richly deserved, ever set foot in the Fire Utopia again they will be arrested and jailed for the rest of their lives as enemies of equality and social justice. Your Empress has spoken and now you are finally free unless you are from the media, you must wait so that my Chosen can ensure that you only print the truths that I speak. So go forth and follow my new enlightened laws for they are all this great Utopia needs going forward. Thank you, and now do as I have commanded and go forth and spread the glorious word of my rule and new enlightened laws that ensure equality and social justice for all."_

 _Hermione finished her speech, which she had articulated with hand gestures to emphasize her points, smiling proudly at what she had said as if it was the greatest speech of all time, though Harry knew that it would be remembered as the speech that birthed a tyrant. If she had expected shouts, cheers of joy and praise for saving the Fire Nation at her words she hid her disappointment well as many of the citizens gathered just continued murmured and looked stunned, upset, sad, or confused at what Hermione had just said. Those who supported her did cheer but it wasn't the jubilation she was likely expecting and Harry knew why. Hermione had just confessed to murdering a benevolent ruler who was seen as the second best Firelord of the last millennia being his grandfather Zuko and denounced Iroh as a tyrant and oppressor when in fact Iroh had been neither and actively fought against both tyranny and oppression throughout his long life. She had basically just announced herself the actual tyrant of the Fire Nation. She was clearly not a legitimate leader, no matter how much she thought she was, just an illegitimate usurper who needed to be removed and arrested as soon as possible. She had to be ended and soon but Harry had no idea how. The timing was absolute shit for them which was exactly why the Enlightened had struck when they did. They still had so much crap to clean up in the aftermath of Voldemort's defeat that they couldn't afford to be spread so thin or to fight yet another war so soon after ending one that had been raging on and off for 25 years._

 _Harry turned and looked at his friends and knew their expressions of shock and sadness at the kind Iroh's death at the hands of an unstable, sheltered, girl mirrored his own mortified expression. They all knew that there was little they could do in the near future but that wouldn't stop Harry from trying to find a way to end this tyrannical regime before too many Fire Nation citizens suffered from Hermione's authoritarian rule. Harry needed to do this soon and quickly bring Hermione to the justice she so rightful deserved for murdering Iroh. Harry didn't know when but he vowed that he would bring Iroh's murderer to justice and restore the Fire Nation to what it had been under Iroh, Izumi and Zuko._

Harry opened his eyes again and sighed. Glancing over to look at his clock Harry saw that the time was 5:15 in the morning. Harry groaned as he knew that wasn't going to be getting back to sleep anytime soon so he decided that he had better get up. Iroh's death and Hermione's ascension to power and the beginning of her dictatorship had now been 5 years ago and a lot had happened in those intervening 5 years. Getting up and dressing in a pair of loose green pants and a plain gray shirt Harry left his room on Air Temple Island and walked barefoot quietly out of it and then walked out of the Temple. The pave stones were cold to Harry's bare feet but he barely noticed it as he calmly walked across the small island that Avatar Aang had made, enjoying the clean, cool morning air and the light of dawn breaking as headed to the meditation pavilion to clear his head . The pavilion was a peaceful place, especially in the early morning fog, that over looked Yue Bay, Avatar Aang Memorial Island, Republic City and the Spirit Portal that rose in the center of the city. Once Harry got there he sat down in the center of the pavilion and settled into a mediation position. He wasn't planning on meditating too deeply though, no Harry had to think about what had happened in the last 5 years and the pavilion was a great place to clear his head and think. Once again Harry had to try and come up with something, anything, that he could do going forward to restore balance to the Fire Nation. As Harry closed his eyes to meditate he thought back to what they had accomplished in the 5 years since his defeat of Voldemort.

It had been a busy 5 years for Team Avatar. After Hermione's declaration creating the Fire Utopia, a name Harry and the rest of the world refused to use as it would legitimize her rule, it was the same reason why they didn't use her self-proclaimed title, the world leaders had tried to reason with her diplomatically. That exercise had lasted less than a day before Hermione, who was communicating via radio from the Royal Palace, terminated all discussions and repeated the unconditional demands she had made in her speech, demands that Harry knew no one would follow. Then Harry and Commander Vane had gone to see the blockade that Hermione had created and realized that they couldn't penetrate it. Hermione had been serious when she had said that they had infiltrated the military. Harry realized that they couldn't do shit about the blockade as the new military leaders had sworn fealty to her and the soldiers had to follow orders. Pretty much all the remaining Fire Nation ships and airships were now constantly circling the Fire Nation's air and see borders in two circles, one clockwise, the other counterclockwise. In the end Harry realized that the only way through would be by force and after a bloody battle at the Elemental Academy and 25 years of on and off war no one wanted for fight again so soon. They had been forced to leave Hermione for the moment and turn their attention to cleaning up the leftover mess from Voldemort's Second Purity War.

That cleanup had taken longer than expected. It took them a month of hard word to fix the Academy so that it was back to the way it was before the battle. Then the world leaders had dedicate the wall to those who had fallen defending the Academy and recreated the statue of Korra that graced the center of Academy Square. The memorial wall lined one side of Academy Square and was made of white marble with the names of all those who had given their lives in defense of the Academy engraved upon it. The world leaders, with the approval of the High Chair of the Academy, had also created a statue of Harry stripping Voldemort of his bending to symbolize his victory over the Dark Lord and thus the end of the war on the very spot it had occurred, once the ground was raised back to normal from the giant crater Harry had created there. After some lobbying by Harry a second wall made of black marble was erected in Academy Square directly opposite the white marble one. The black wall listed all the students who had sided with the Purists and Death Eaters, both those who had died in the battle and those who had been captured and were now either in prison or who had served their time and been released. The wall was to serve as a permanent reminder that not all students had followed the light but rather strayed into the dark and paid the price. Next to the names of the Lost Students, as they had become known as, was what had happened to them, be it death or prison and for the latter how long their sentence was.

Speaking of prison the White Lotus Supermax complexes had been restored with the exception of the waterbending prison as that had been in the Fire Nation prior to its fall into Hermione's tyranny. In addition the Firebending Supermax Prison had been moved back to the Northern Tundra now that the Northern Water Tribe was no longer a Purist stronghold. At the moment all waterbenders deemed dangerous enough to be classified as supermax prisoners were housed in an airship prison designed to be a facsimile of the volcano prison but it wasn't the same and Harry was always nervous about its vulnerability to attack by fanatics. The prison did house the former Chief of the Northern Water Tribe, Lucius, as well as former Councilman Nott, two of the eight surviving Death Eaters serving life sentences. If the prison was attacked then there were two dangerous bloodbenders who could be freed along with several Purists who had been sent there after their convictions. Otherwise all the prisoners had been moved to their rightful prisons and there had been no incidents in them in the last 5 years. Those who had served their sentences and been released were few and they had gone into obscurity to avoid the stigma of their actions.

Once the Academy was reopened Harry's time there was sporadic. As a master in all four elements and now a fully realized Avatar he wasn't really needed there for bending other than learning the subbending arts of the other 3 elements. Harry still tried to train every day in each pure element as well as metal and lavabending. He was basically there for academic purposes, as were his friends. He had graduated 2 years ago, the same year Jinora's term as High Chair of the Academy ended, subsequently she retired as a teacher, and the cycle moved to the Water House and the new High Chair, Horace. Harry had spend those 3 years partially at the Academy and partially cleaning up the remaining messes with the other members of Team Avatar occasionally helping him.

The first mess that had to be cleaned up had been the remnants of the Unified Triad. With Scabior buried and serving a life sentence in the Firebending Supermax Prison in the Northern Tundra, the triad collapsed and an internal gang war for control had begun. Initially the gang war had been for full control of the Unified Triad but it had devolved into multiple new, or reformed, splinter gangs fighting for control. Harry realized that Scabior had been even more of a skilled leader than he had given the crime boss credit as it appeared he had held the Unified Triad together through a lot of internal problems that only came to the surface with Scabior finally getting convicted and sent to prison. The gang war had taken 2 years for Harry and the RCPD, still under Chief Robards, to end and the death toll of both the war amongst the gangs and with the RCPD had been in the hundreds. However by the end of it the city had never been cleaner. There was still crime but the organized triads had been broken and would take a long time to reform.

Harry had also been forced to deal with the 4 Imperial States that had sided with Voldemort during the Second Purity War and declared independence from the ISEK. After the war the states had to be reintegrated back into the ISEK as peacefully as possible while also punishing the leaders of the States who had sided with Voldemort and the many crimes they and their cronies had committed during their brief independence. King Wu had also ordered an Imperial Commission to investigate the states, punish anyone who had sided with Purists if they had broken Imperial law, and reform the states to bring them back in line with the rest of the Earth Kingdom while still maintaining their state sovereignty.

Three of the states; Kuei, Tor Blinn and Skrit had all been sorted out within 6 months of Voldemort's defeat. Kuei because then Governor Odinsor was grieving for his fallen son and had not stopped the Imperial Army sweeping right after the defeat of Voldemort. Odinsor had been swiftly arrested, removed from office, convicted of multiple crimes including treason against the ISEK and sentenced to death, the only death sentence handed out to anyone arrested following Voldemort's defeat but a sentence that was mandatory for Odinsor's actions. Odinsor was currently on the Imperial Death Row in a specialized wooden cell given his earthbending abilities awaiting execution while the other members of Kuei's government were currently serving long prison sentences. Tor Blinn and Skrit had been sorted out quickly because of deals the former governors of those states made with the Earth King to hand over power peacefully and return to the ISEK in exchange for spending the rest of their lives in the Earthbending Supermax Prison and not following Odinsor to the Imperial Death Row. The governors also had to help the Commission in sorting out who needed to be punished. The Imperial State of Yi, however, had been a problem.

The mineral rich Imperial State of Yi had fallen into an internal civil war with the arrest and conviction of now former Governor Goyle for his activities as a Death Eater and had been shipped off to the the Earthbending Supermax Prison. It had been unavoidable as Goyle didn't have a successor due to his paranoia, his system had been based on patronage and favors so when he was arrested those who benefited wanted to keep their riches while the oppressed, lead by agents of the Enlightened, rebelled. Add in that Yi was the most isolated and hardest to reach of the 4 traitorous states meant that by the time the Imperial Army reached Yi, the civil war had already begun. That civil war lasted 3 years and cost countless lives as both sides committed war crimes during the conflict before the Imperial Army enter and fully take control of Yi. The State was still a militarized zone as the Imperial Government tried to figure out what to do with it. There was still no official governor there but at least the civil war had ended and the leaders of both sides were being still being prosecuted for their war crimes. While the rebels there had been backed by the Enlightened, the IBI still hadn't found any link between them and Hermione's government.

The rest of the world had gotten on with their lives as well and fortunately with less drama or violence. Shortly after the Battle of the Elemental Academy Sirius returned to the Northern Water Tribe when it was finally stabilized. Sirius was then confirmed as Chief, along with establishing his family as the new Royal Family bloodline, by 76% of the voting population. In addition the citizens of the Northern Water Tribe had voted 64% in favor of the new constitution the Sirius had helped draft in Ba Sing Se during the war.

Under the new constitution the framers of it had decided to keep the 5 member Tribal Council system headed by the Chief. The position of Head Healer would also continue to serve on the Tribal Council in a permanent role but now would be a full member of the Tribal Council with full voting rights on the it. That position was now occupied by Sirius's cousin and fellow former exile Andromeda. The one big change to the Northern Tribal Council was that the 5 Councilors would be elected positions, rather than life positions that were hereditary and the positions would be open to women for the first time. The elections were held each year starting with the Sirius's own confirmation as Chief with the last one happening in a few weeks thus removing the last acting councilor appointed by Sirius upon his confirmation as Chief. Each councilor would serve a term of 6 years so that after the last was elected the first would be up for reelection the next year and there were no term limits for the councilors. At the moment 3 of the 4 elected councilors were nonbenders, 2 were women and the lone bender was a former exile who's false criminal record that had lead to her exile being expunged by Sirius.

Also, Sirius's brother Regulus had been formally granted immunity from all charges from his Death Eater days due to his actions and now taught waterbending at the Academy as well as course on the lures of extremism, brainwashing, breaking from both, and survival and evasion without bending. Finally the Northern Water Tribe was back on the path to balance but with such an ingrained history of discrimination Harry knew that it would still be a few years before the North was truly balanced.

Remus too had become a teacher at the Elemental Academy in the Air House, rejecting an offer from Milo to lead the small Air Nation military on a permanent basis. He had also fallen for and married Commander Dora. They had met during the cleanup efforts and started dating soon after. Two years ago they had had a son called Ted who was named after his grandfather who had died in the battle at the hands of Macnair and who was Harry's godson. Young Teddy was already showing signs of being a talented earthbender and Harry was looking forward to teaching him when the boy was old enough. Dora was now second in command of the United Forces under Admiral Williamson who had been elevated to the position following Shacklebolt's election as President, removing the acting label he had assumed after the war, and subsequent retirement from the United Forces. Due to Williamson's position as Commander of the United Navy he was entitled to use the rank of Admiral rather than General when he became the Commanding Officer of the United Armed Forces. The United Republic had also been safely restored and President Shacklebolt was expected to be reelected next year with little opposition.

In the Southern Water Tribe things hadn't changed much as it had been relatively unaffected by the war after Lucius's failed invasion. Bill and Fleur had married and moved back to Republic City where Bill continued to serve as the Southern Water Tribal Ambassador to the United Republic while Fleur worked part time at the Academy. Fred and George had married Angelina and Alicia respectively, two of the girls on their bending team from their Academy days. Fred and George had opened the joke shop they had always dreamed of in Republic City's fashionable Diagon Ally and been an instant success, so much so that they had opened branches in Harbor City, the capital of the Southern Water Tribe, Ba Sing Se, Zaofu and Omashu. Meanwhile Percy had married some girl he had met in Ba Singe Se called Audrey, the daughter of a wealth Ba Sing Se businessman and as rule orientated as Percy. Percy was now the Southern Water Tribe Ambassador to the ISEK and was loving the rigid rules, regulations and traditions of Ba Sing Se. Charlie had been training dragons in the Dragon Sanctuary and Population Growth Center in the Fire Nation when Hermione's coup occurred and was unfortunately trapped there and his status was unknown. The only think to note was that Fleur had just given birth to a daughter, Victoire, who was now the second in line to the Chiefdom of the Southern Water Tribe however if she was an airbender then there may be a constitutional crisis in the South but as of right now she was too young to show signs of bending.

The last nation Harry's meandering thoughts turned to was his own, the Earth Kingdom. His parents were still primarily based in Ba Singe Se and his father was expected to be reelected to second term as an Imperial Senator from Omashu in a year's time. Wu was still the Earth King though that was only because he was constitutionally banned from resigning or abdicating. He had gotten too frail to travel in recent years and the whole nation knew the King who had reformed and modernized the Earth Kingdom in the wake of the Earth Empire debacle would die soon. His son, Prince Zhan, had taken over as his agent and voice outside of Ba Sing Se as Wu was unable to leave the palace. Harry knew that Wu's death would be a sad day for the ISEK after all he had done for his nation but it was one the whole nation was preparing for.

The saddest thing that had happened, outside the reported horrors of Hermione's tyrannical dictatorship, had been Asami's death 2 months after the restoration of the Academy. She had died peacefully in her sleep after passing her spirit on to the spirit world, at least according to experts, and as with Korra she had received a state funeral as befitted a hero and member of Korra's Team Avatar. Dignitaries from all over the world paid, except those trapped in the prison camps of the Fire Utopia, tribute to her. As Korra's reincarnation Harry was part of the team that took Asami's body from where it had lain in state in Republic City so that the masses could pay respects to her before it was transferred to the Southern Water Tribe so that she could be buried with Korra. As for the rest of Korra's Team Avatar, Bolin was now in Zaofu, which was finally a state in the ISEK, with his wife Opal and their children and grandchildren. Suyin had died 3 years ago and the transition had been a smooth one. Meanwhile Mako still lived in Ba Singe Se with Wu and many believed that Wu had passed a law ordering Mako be buried with him when Mako died. Both surviving members of Korra's team were getting on in age but they were still healthy.

Harry's thoughts then turned to his friends and what they had all been up too since they graduated from the Academy 2 years ago and while he had been running around the world, cleaning up various pockets of remaining Purists to officially end their movement. Along with Harry, Team Avatar had all moved to Air Temple Island and taken up residence here right after they graduated from the Academy. Both Aang and Korra had lived here during their times as Avatars so Jinora offered Harry and his friends the chance to do so as well when she retired to the Temple and they had all accepted. Harry felt it was right to live here at least temporarily as his previous two lives had done and it allowed him monitor the world from a central location.

Ron and Neville had been accepted into the RCPD without hesitation upon graduation, graduated from the RCPD Academy as the top two in the class and were now two of their finest and fasted rising officers. Ron in particular was loving the job and had proven he had a knack for it. Chief Robards had taken the Avatar's best friend under his wing as his protégé and it was expected that Ron would rise through the ranks very quickly. Neville was enjoying it but spent more time as an instructor at the Academy than on the streets and Harry expected that in time Neville would leave the RCPD and join the teaching staff at the Elemental Academy. Meanwhile, Luna had taken a researcher job at the Avatar Wan Research Center that dealt with research in and on the natural and spiritual worlds and was loving it. Though of all of them Harry knew that Luna suffered from the worst nightmares in the aftermath of the Battle of the Elemental Academy but she had been seeking help and doing much better, all of them had and were. Harry also knew that Ron had the betrothal necklace for her but had yet to find the right moment to propose.

That thought brought Harry to Ginny and his own plans for proposing to her. He had known for a while that he would propose to her, he already had the betrothal necklace, and that they would be married in time but like Ron, Harry hadn't found the time to do it due to their busy schedules. Harry had only just finished his hunt for the last remaining Death Eater and Purist at large, the only one to escape the Battle of the Elemental Academy and an old family friend, Peter. That 4 and a half year long search had ended 6 months ago when he had cornered the traitor in the Lower Ring of Ba Singe Se and finally caught Peter, after causing the traitor to blow off his right hand when Peter tried to surprise him again, thus ending the Death Eaters once and for all. Peter was now in the Firebending Supermax Prison finally serving out his life sentence without parole.

While Harry was doing this, Ginny had been studying at Raiko University to become a fully qualified Healer. She was one of the best at the art but she still had a year's more training to do to become a fully certified Healer. While Ginny was a gifted warrior she preferred the healing arts to the art of war and Harry knew she would become a great Healer in time. He knew that he would propose when the time was right and he knew that that right time would present itself to him soon. Harry had found the perfect stone, a sea green topaz that he had had craved with the symbols of the Earth Kingdom and Southern Water Tribe overlaying each other and set into a platinum holder on a fine blue silk band. It would be perfect when the time came.

Harry sighed as he felt the warmth of the rising sun as it crested over the horizon. Voldemort and his legacy was finally over. The former Dark Lord had died 10 months ago in his cell and his body cremated and scattered to the wind so as those who supported him could not create a sick memorial to him or try and rally support for his memory. Stripping Voldemort of his bending had destroyed Voldemort's credibility within the movement as it showed that he was not as good as the Avatar and now an inferior nonbender in the eyes of his supporters. The loss of his bending had deeply affected Voldemort from what Harry had heard in the reports from the prison warden. According to the warden Voldemort had never spoken a word during his incarceration and had eventually lost the will to live. The former bloodbender and Dark Lord stopped eating, wasting away alone and without his precious bending in his isolated cell. With all that finally gone Harry could at last turn his attention westward and deal with Hermione. He knew that was why he had been having his dreams and it was now time to act. He had been too busy to bring his full attention to bear on her but now he could and he would do his best to end the suffering of the people of the Fire Nation.

First Harry thought of Crown Prince Druzok who had been in the Northern Water Tribe helping Chief Arthur clean it up after they liberated it and thus been spared from the coup that took his grandfather's life and captured his sister. Druzok had immediately moved to Republic City and was running the Fire Nation Government in Exile there with the aid of the other world leaders and expat Fire Nation citizens who could not return home with Hermione's blockade in the way. Shortly after her now infamous speech Hermione had revealed that Izra was alive and serving a life sentence without parole in an undisclosed, single prisoner prison for her alleged crimes, all of which were known to be false and based purely of Izra's status and not actual crimes. Why she kept Izra alive was a mystery though Harry assumed it was for potential leverage in the future. They were doing everything they could but they could not penetrate the blockade without significant force and loss of life. Alas the little news they were getting about the now isolated and closed off nation, all of it from the few who had managed to survive an escape from Hermione's tyranny, had not been good news.

From what they could gather Hermione's regime in the Fire Nation made Kuvira's Earth Empire look like a peaceful, utopian state by comparison. Hermione had swiftly and brutally consolidated her power through fear and intimidation. If you didn't follow her laws to the letter you were sent to the work camps for education in equality and tolerance. These camps were just slave labor prisons that held all of those who were dissidents to her regime, those who had been pureblood nobles and those who even question her ideas, authority or rule. Anyone who spoke out against her were sent there, anyone who made a joke that she found offensive, had a wrong thought, basically anything that wasn't approved by Hermione would result in a lengthy sentence in these reeducation camps. The current estimates from the few who had managed to flee put the death toll at close to 100,000 of her own citizens dead. They had either been execution for treason, a very low bar apparently as a joke could be seen as treason, of which her state records claimed that 5,389 had been convicted and executed for, including the 10 Purists nobles Iroh had impassioned that she had thrown into the boiling lake alive. Others had died by being worked to death in the reeducation prison camps to fuel the industrialization and militarization she had built up to protect herself. Harry had a feeling that the death toll was at least 10 times higher as there was almost certainly abuses by the authorities throughout the nation that Hermione would turn a blind eye to in exchange for support. Her Chosen had become a secret police and enforcers taking any potential dissidents away in the middle of the night, many were never heard from again. It was truly oppressive and Harry knew that they weren't getting the full story.

From what Harry could tell the Fire Nation was now truly a tyranny under Hermione who had no qualms crushing revolt and dissent with violence and death. The Fire Nation had always been ruled by an absolute monarchy but for the most part the Firelords never abused this and were fair rulers, with a few notable exceptions, but Hermione had become a totalitarian, the power corrupting her immediately. Her rapid industrialization, and prioritization in building up a military force to defend any invasion, had lead to reports of famine in rural parts of the nation and as such countless deaths of starvation. Those who had joined her, either for power or because they believed her warped and twisted bullshit, had become the new elite and were living it up off the wealth they had stolen while millions starved or worked to death in the factories and other industries Hermione had set up. Despite this industrialization her forced nationalization of everything had lead to a stagnation of competition and Harry knew that competition drove development as the combination of pride, greed and ambition lead to inventors and businessmen to compete with each other to create the best products. Without it you stalled progress. In addition she had apparently changed the educational system there and only taught her own views while demonizing, lying about and vilifying anything that didn't agree with here. It was straight brainwashing and there was nothing that they could do about it.

Scholars were already calling Hermione's government a socialist government though Harry had no aptitude for political theory or philosophy, all he knew was that Hermione was a dictator and tyrant who oppressed and killed her own citizens in her own warped and misguided view for a perfect society. Her inability to accept compromise or her own fallibility and incorrectness on issues only made it worse and those who supported her fueled her convictions that she was always right.

Those who had joined her had been the outcasts, the poor, the opportunists, and those who saw her as their ticket to a better life through her own warped philosophy. In addition the worst scum of the Fire Nation had risen to the top when they realized that so long as they espoused Hermione's views and enforced them they could get away with anything. Those who did this abused the power they had to the utmost, Harry had seen it with the Purists and he knew it was happening in the Fire Nation with those who followed Hermione and her views. Harry was certain she believed all that she said and believed that all she did was just and right and that she could do anything necessary to enforce her will on others. It appalled Harry as much as Voldemort and the Death Eaters had as they were exactly the same. Hermione was no better and in fact a lot worse that Voldemort given that within 1 year the death toll reported in the Fire Nation because of Hermione's laws, actions and orders, had exceeded 25 years of war with Voldemort, including the occupation of the United Republic and the treason of the Northern Water Tribe and 4 Imperial States.

Yet despite all this Hermione still preached that the Fire Nation was the only truly equal nation, that she was their benevolent Empress, the savior of the Fire Utopia, and that their nation was succeeding where all others had failed. Every week Hermione would use the one international media channel she kept to broadcast these insane speeches proclaiming her greatness and accomplishments but they only accomplishment was to show her madness to the world, clearly in hopes others would follow her. She would occasionally try and induce revolts across the world, call out Harry and the other false world leaders as she called them and generally ignore the suffering and oppression of her own citizens.

The other nations still had to be careful as the world leaders knew the Enlightened and the Chosen were a global terrorist organization that could strike anywhere, their ties to the revolt in Yi and the clear sympathies of members of Malum state government to the Enlightened showed that the group still had some reach. However, Harry was certain most of the Chosen had been called in for the coup in the Fire Nation and as a result stuck there, most outside of the Fire Nation were just sympathizers and cronies. Harry just didn't know how to get into the Fire Nation, remove Hermione either in chains or a coffin, and restore peace and balance to the Fire Nation. Harry did know that it would have to be a small team, just him and his friends, and they would have to take her down from the inside but he had no idea how to do so.

Harry felt a small tremor in the earth that broke his meditations and brought him back to the present. Smiling Harry got up, opened his eyes and stretched after sitting in the lotus position for so long. The sun was up now and Harry guested that it must be around 7 in the morning. He hadn't realized how long he had been thinking but he just needed to clear his mind of all that had happened over the last 5 years so that he could look to the future. Walking over to the tremors that were emanating from near the bison stables Harry closed his eyes once more, 'saw' the source underground and sent out his own tremors at the source before opening his eyes. Moments later he felt the ground shift just in front of him and a large, snow white head with red blank eyes emerged from the ground sniffing the air around it. The creature's head was followed by the large, white, body until it was fully out of the hole it had created. The animal sniffed the air once more before leaping on Harry and licking him affectionately.

"Easy Hedwig. I'm happy to see you too girl." Harry said extricating himself from under his animal complain and patting her affectionately on the neck. The albino badgermole leaned her head into his chest and nuzzled him affectionately. "I know I'm not usually out this early but I had to clear my head. You had better not be burrowing too much again, this is a small island and Jinora wouldn't be pleased if her home suddenly became unstable because of a badgermole."

As Harry spoke he checked the earth with his seismic sense to make sure that his badgermole hadn't caused too much damage and was pleased to see she hadn't. Badgermoles liked to burrow but Hedwig was well trained in limiting her activities on the island as there was only so much earth available. Harry continued to pat her absently, she always helped him calm down. He had found the albino badgermole as a pup 2 years ago shortly after graduation. He was in Yi at the time and trying to root out the last pockets of fighting when he stumbled across her abandoned in a cave. Her parents had been killed by poachers and he felt an instant connection to the poor badgermole and took her in then and there. He had never seen an albino badgermole before but he knew they were very rare. Harry had taken her back with him, raised her and trained her on Air Temple Island. Now she was fully grown and had become his animal companion. Why he called her Hedwig he didn't know but the name had felt right at the time and was the only thing she would listen to. He was so engrossed in petting her that he didn't notice the light footsteps behind him until he heard her voice.

"She really is a beautiful creature." Jinora said making Harry jump slightly and turn to face the former High Chair of the Academy.

Jinora's time in prison had aged her more than her 80 some years and she looked a lot frailer than he remembered. He knew she must be near the end of her life and that in time she would transcend peacefully into the spirit world the way Zuko's uncle Iroh had, as had many others after him most notably Zaheer and recently Asami if the experts were to be believed. Harry thought that that time would be sooner rather than later for Jinora but while she was still alive so he would use her advice whenever he could.

"I would think she was a spirit had I not seen her earthbend." Jinora continued giving the badgermole and affectionate pat on her snout before turning back to Harry. "So Harry what troubles you so much that has caused you to spend 2 hours meditating. Not more nightmares I hope."

"How do you know I was troubled?" Harry asked with a slight blush, somehow airbenders seemed to have this kind of intuition but then again it may just be Jinora and Luna. "Or that I was meditating."

"Well to answer the first question I knew you were troubled because you were meditating." Jinora said with a smile. "And meditating at around 5 in the morning at that. You are a lot like Korra, you were both Avatar's of action and only resorted to meditating when times were desperate and you didn't know what else to do. As to why I know this I wake at 5 everyday to feed the lemurs, they help keep me young and I have always enjoyed their company, more so in the last year since Kai's passed on to the Spirit World. So what ails you Harry? Were you seeking advice from Korra."

"No I don't think Korra can help me deal with what's on my mind." Harry said glad to talk to someone with age and wisdom. "Not that I haven't already spoken to her about my problems, she just hasn't been that helpful."

Jinora's council had been a key reason why he had accepted the offer to live here, she was wise beyond her many years and Harry wanted all the help he could get. Also many in his generation tended to forgo the wisdom of those who had lived life and had the wisdom of experience to give so that those with a life still to live did not make the same mistakes or suffer under the same hardships as those who had come before them. Hermione was a prime example of this rashness of youth and the idea that because they were young they knew everything already and as such best as they would inherit the world. It was an argument with some merit in the sense that yes they would inherit the world but still the complete and willful ignorance of experience wasn't wise as the only way to really move forward was to learn from the mistakes of the past. For spirits sake sometimes those of age and experience used that to make decisions that the young hated but were done in their best interest so that they didn't have to live with what they had to live with. Often wisdom and experience was unappreciated in this world but Harry did appreciate it and would seek it out whenever he could. He was only in his early 20s and while he was smart and powerful he knew he didn't know everything so when he needed advice from those who knew more than he did he would take that advice.

"I was just trying to clear my head, I've been sleeping poorly lately." Harry continued. "Though it hasn't all been nightmares, those still occur but as time continues to heal the mental wounds they occur less and less. About once a week these days."

"We can tell by the bags under your eyes." Jinora said kindly. "You have been so busy since defeating Voldemort that it has been hard to find a moments peace in the last 5 years."

"That's the thing I was fine when I was busy but with the world but now with Voldemort dead, Yi stabilized, Peter in prison, the triad broken and the world for the most part back to normal I find it hard to sleep." Harry said rubbing his face and yawning slightly. "My mind just won't let me rest at the moment."

"It's the Fire Nation isn't it?" Jinora asked clearly knowing it to be the answer. "You want to end the threat Hermione is to her own citizens and possibly the whole world don't you?"

"I do but I just don't know how to do it." Harry said with a sigh still absently stroking Hedwig's head. "I saw the blockade and I don't think even in the Avatar State I could successfully overcome such firepower. I tried asking Korra shortly after the issue but she didn't know what to do because she had never had to deal with a situation like the one Hermione has created. Sure she has dealt with fanatics, tyrants and madmen but not an impenetrable blockade. Thanks to that asshole Unalaq I can't go further back and ask other Avatars for advice. I feel like Aang would be useful right about now. I just feel so helpless letting all those people suffer for years while I can't do anything to help them."

"My grandfather would know more about the Fire Nation true." Jinora said. "Though he would probably have an odd saying to sum it up. I never met him as he died a few years before I was born but my father often spoke of him and his teachings. I think Aang himself learned them from the old General Iroh but regardless they have been passed down over the years."

"Anything useful?" Harry asked without giving into hope. "Cos at this point we're all little desperate. Even Ron is struggling to formulate a plan to get into the Fire Nation and take her out and he's one of the best tacticians in the any military or law enforcement department in the world."

"I don't know." Jinora said thoughtfully before pausing for a moment as she thought back to her youth. "I know one thing my dad would say, something Grandpa Aang taught him about airbender philosophy is to always look for another way around the problem right in front of you. Remember airbending is a style of defense and counter but it is also one of learning from the wisdom and mistakes of the past. Dad would occasionally say to us, and often to Korra, that there are times when the only way forward is back. Remember Harry we cannot forget or erase the evils of the past but keep them fresh so as we can learn from them and grow as a society."

"What does that mean?" Harry asked confused at the statement. "Remember Jinora your not talking to an airbender scholar but a stubborn earthbender who prefers to solve his problems by punching them rather than opting for the diplomatic approach."

"I do forget that sometimes as you can be quite thoughtful Harry." Jinora said with a smile. "I know you know when to use violence and when to not use it but your training is primarily in combat as a method of resolution, after negations fail that is. Korra was the same way, always getting infuriated by my father's sayings and preferring to settle her disputes through bending. At least she wasn't around to hear old General Iroh's, apparently those are even more confusing but there are books on those and twice as many on trying to understand the meanings in the former Crown Prince's words. Anyway in this case it means that there are times, of which this may be one such time, when in order to see the path forward you must look to the past be it yours, Korra's or an older Avatar's though for that you will need the scholars to aid you, to find something that will illuminate the way forward. Does that make sense?"

"Sort of." Harry said thinking deeply on Jinora's words.

Harry thought back to his own past but nothing stood out at first. Then a nagging thought came into his mind out of nowhere, something he had heard a little over 5 years ago, something shouted at him and subsequently forgotten as he walked away from a special prison embedded in the top of a snow capped mountain in the far eastern reaches of the Earth Kingdom.

" _One day Avatar, maybe in 5, 10 or 15 years an issue will arise in the world and you will realize that the only way you can solve it is with my expertise and help. You will be back soon to free me Avatar, this is not the last time our paths shall cross."_

Harry gasped as the memory came unbidden to his mind. He realized he may have a chance to get into the Fire Nation covertly and have access to the resources that Harry would need for a small, clandestine operation to take down Hermione. It was a long shot and a very risky chance but at this point he was willing to try anything to free the Fire Nation from tyranny. Harry had always felt that the man he had left on that mountain top had much more than he provided Harry a little over 5 years ago, a trump card to ensure his eventual release despite a life with parole in 40 years sentence. The man was the best survivalist Harry knew, other than Peter, he was a man who had a more resources than Harry could imagine, and he was from the Fire Nation so what did Harry have to lose. Also Harry was convinced the man had a network of contacts that he hadn't revealed to Harry and the other authorities in the Fire Nation that weren't associated with the crimes he had plead guilty to. Desperate times called for desperate measures.

"What Harry?" Jinora said taken aback by Harry's sudden gasp, so was Hedwig for that matter as she had smacked Harry in the face with her muzzle. "Did my advice work?"

"I may have just had a crazy, insane, risky, desperate, plan to get into the Fire Nation and take the raving bitch oppressing it down." Harry said a smile gracing his lips. "But I need you to contact President Shacklebolt and tell him I want a meeting of all the world leaders here on Air Temple Island one week from today. I have never done this before but I am exercising my Avatar privilege to call the world leaders, or their heirs as is the case with the ISEK, to a meeting that has global implications. First though I need to talk to Ron down at the station, get all the relevant info from him and Chief Robards as they are the necessary info in Republic City, and plan with them to make my pitch. Y'all will probably think I'm insane but at this point we're pretty much out of options when it comes down to trying to restore balance to the Fire Nation."

"Ok Harry may I ask why you need the world leaders?" Jinora asked clearly wary of Harry's sudden realization. "This has to be something serious if you are exercising this privileged. Korra seldom used it in her time and only for the most serious of issues."

"Because only they can approve of my plan." Harry said as he patted Hedwig goodbye and began to walk towards the Temple with Jinora in tow. "After the defeat of Voldemort the Council of World Leaders, in accordance with international law, ruled that only with the consensus of the world leaders could any of the surviving Death Eaters receive a deal that might let out of their prison cells. I now have to persuade them to make a deal with the smartest and slipperiest of all the surviving Death Eaters. I can't say for certain but I'm sure our only way into the Fire Nation, short of an all out assault that could lead to countless deaths, and to take down Hermione, lies in the white gloved hands of Voldemort's former spymaster. Once again this man could play a pivotal role in ending a ruthless, murderous, tyrants hold on power and restore balance to the world. I can't believe I am saying this but our only hope to get the chance to take down Hermione and free the Fire Nation from her tyranny might be Pyrites."

 **Sorry this first chapter is so long but there was a lot to cover and catch up to fill in the gap between Purity and Equality. Some of the stories mention, such as the hunt for and capture of Peter, will likely either feature in the Avatar: The Tale of Harry. The Lost Adventures story or as a small novella at some point. For context, the Fire Utopia will be based of a mixture of the USSR under Stalin, China under Mao, North Korea under Kim Jong-un and Venezuela under Maduro. That's all for here. As usual the next chapter will be released at midnight one week from today and any questions in reviews or PMs will be answered at the start of the next chapter. Anything constructive in the reviews or PMs will be listened too. Until next week.**

 **Stringdog**


	2. Chapter 2

**Here is the second chapter in Book 2 on time as always. The only thing to note here is that this story will be heavy on the Hermione bashing as she is the antagonist of Book 2. There were no questions to address here so sit back and enjoy the second installment in Avatar: The Tale of Harry. Book 2: Equality.  
**

 **Disclaimer: As always I own nothing related to either of these two great works of fiction.**

 **Chapter 2**

"So, Avatar, are you going to tell us why you have called such an important meeting on such short notice." Came the deep baritone of President Shacklebolt. "Not that I have an issue with seeing our young, wise, and gifted Avatar or my fellow world leaders on such short notice. I know that it is well within your right, as it is within all of our rights, to call such a meeting, especially if it has something to do with the situation in the Fire Nation and Hermione's reign of terror there."

Harry gulped a little but nodded in appreciation to the President of the United Republic. Since his formal election to the Office of the Presidency of the United Republic Shacklebolt had taken to wearing clean crisp red suits with a gold trim and either a white, yellow or in today's case black shirts as he was no longer a part of the military. His clothes were always immaculate, likely due to his military career. The bald, broad, black man held himself straight, patiently waiting for an answer, as did the others gathered round the table.

It had been a week since Harry's decision to request such a high level meeting and now all the individuals he had wanted and needed to be present were here. Sitting around a table at the the top of the tower on Air Temple Island were himself, President Shacklebolt, Crown Prince Druzok who refused to use the title Firelord because he had not yet had his official coronation and was serving as leader of the Government in Exile, Chiefs Arthur and Sirius of the Water Tribes, Tobias had as usual politely declined the request as the Foggy Swamp Tribe rarely got involved in international politics, Archabbot Milo, Prince Zhan in lieu of his ailing father, Chief Robards and Ron. All wore their best formal attire cut in their nation's colors and styles, or in Robards case his full Dress Blacks complete with an array of medals for his long service in the RCPD.

As this wasn't a full war council meeting but rather a meeting to deal with an international terrorist and the aid he may provide the military and academic leaders were not needed. Robards was present due to jurisdiction and Ron because he had helped Harry come up with the plan, after a little convincing. A deal of the magnitude that Harry was suggesting could only be authorized by the consensus of all the World Leaders or their heir/deputy, minus the Chief of the Foggy Swamp Tribe.

The rest of Team Avatar was not present. Luna was on a week's long trip into the Spirit World to catalog the habitats of certain porcine like spirits and map an uncharted area of the vast realm, Ginny had an exam at the University and Neville was in the middle of an intensive undercover case.

"Yes I am sorry for the rushed request and having to use my position to accomplish it on such short notice." Harry said a little apologetically. Even after 6 years as the Avatar he was still uncomfortable with the power his position wielded in the world. "But you are right Mr. President it does have something to do with the Fire Nation and bringing down the mad bitch that murdered Iroh, usurped power there and subjugated her own people to what appears to be unimaginable horrors."

"Don't worry about getting us here you've done me a favor." Arthur said with a smile. "I've been a little bored in the South as of late, while it is peaceful down there I do enjoy getting out and into the wider world. Plus I have been wanting to see my first granddaughter again ever since Fleur took her back here a few months ago. It was her 1st birthday last week so I was already planning on being here in the near future, your call just expedited my trip."

"Of course, she was born on the 4th anniversary of the Battle of the Elemental Academy." Harry said remembering why Bill and Fleur had chosen the name Victoire, it meant victory in some long lost language. The second in line for the Chiefdom of the Southern Water Tribe had yet to show any bending talents but should she be an airbender and not either a waterbender or a non bender there would be a constitutional crisis in the South but that was a problem for another time.

"Yeah I'm glad to get away from the election and the fucking campaigns going on up there." Sirius said with a laugh. "They are worse than any battle if you ask me, when I accepted this job I never expected politics to be so fucking brutal. This year more so than ever as the old guard are trying to rally support behind Admiral Pucey's son Adrien to get another bender and a conservative one with known Purist sympathies onto the council. Then you have the majority of the nonbenders championing their candidate who is fortunately a moderate and lastly there's the candidate that is clearly a sympathizer to the Enlightened so the split vote is impossible to predict. At this point all 3 are flinging shit at each other like hog monkeys and seeing what sticks."

"Charming and eloquent as always Sirius." Shacklebolt said with a sigh. "But the battlefield of politics it is still better than Lucius' oligarchy that existed before."

"As much as I love catching up with y'all do you mind if we let the Avatar get on with his plan to liberate my people from a despot that makes Sozin look like a fucking pacifist saint." Druzok interrupted before turning to Harry. "Avatar Harry would you please continue with your plan. We can all catch up tonight over brandy in the Presidential suite at the Four Elements as we normally do when the majority of us are in Republic City."

"Thank you Prince Druzok." Harry said with a grateful nod to the Crown Prince as he began his prepared pitch for the World Leaders. "As you all know 5 years ago while our backs were turned ending Voldemort once and for all in the Battle of the Elemental Academy, The Enlightened stuck like the cowards that we know they are. We knew that they would strike at some point when our backs were turned to them but given the immediate and global threat of Voldemort we were forced to let them fester like a cancer while we dealt with the active madman in Voldemort. As such they ass raped us while our pants were down and when we were least expecting it. The coup cost the life of Firelord Iroh and led to the country being renamed the Fire Utopia and Hermione was named the Fire Empress in an attempt to legitimize her illegal rule. Since then she has become a tyrant and the worst oppressor in Fire Nation history despite her claims that the nation is one of equality and tolerance. That cunt is not the legitimate leader of the Fire Nation and we all know it. However between the military blockade of the Fire Nation hermiting it off from the rest of the world and us spending 4 and a half years cleaning up the dregs of the Purist Movement we have been unable to turn our attention to her evil until now. She is responsible for over 100,000 deaths that we know of, however, there likely is a lot more than that as reports from the Fire Nation have been sporadic at best. We also know that she is building up her internal forces and military power as a way of tightening her iron grip over the Fire Nation and all who oppose her tyranny there. We all know that she is not the champion of equality, tolerance and justice that she claims she is nor is she the savior of the citizens but rather the most dangerous threat to equality, freedom, and tolerance the world has likely ever seen. She must be stopped as soon as possible before her twisted views spread to other nations. We have already seen the Enlightened meddling in the civil war in Yi, the government of Malum and in the elections in the Northern Water Tribe. I know that as the Avatar I must be the one to bring her to justice. However we cannot get involved in another costly war so soon after the Purity Wars, the world is not ready for another war. In addition, this must be done from within as she has yet to act internationally, all of her actions have been limited to the borders of the Fire Nation. General Brown has a few forces here attached to the United Forces that were trapped following the Enlighten's Coup and pledged loyalty to the Druzok, but that is nowhere near enough to launch a counter coup against Hermione, even if we could get them past the blockade. That is why I have come up with a desperate and crazy plan that may work however it requires the consent of the World Leaders given what and who is involved. Defeating her in combat won't be a problem as I have already done so and that was using only firebending, not all the elements and without being a fully realized Avatar so I am confident I can beat her when the time comes, Voldemort failed to defeat me and he was a bender of unparalleled skill so what chance does a mediocre bender like Hermione have. The only problem is getting to the bitch hence the crazy plan Ron and I have concocted. As I said this is desperate but desperate times call for desperate measures."

"At this point I'll take anything." Druzok said with a note of desperation in his voice. "That cunt murdered my grandfather in cold blood, one of the kindest and nicest men I have known and a true believer in peace, freedom, justice, and equality just because he accepted the fact that a wide range of views was needed to make an informed decision on a matter, that compromise was sometimes necessary to appease as many people as possible, and he allowed a free market, capitalist society that unfortunately did exploit the poor at times but not on a systematic level but on an individual case basis and he always tried to help where he could and stop exploitative practices. Hermione also has my sweet, innocent, little sister locked up on charges that my sister would and could never commit. And that is just my family, the whole nation is my responsibility and she is subjecting to a level of oppression that not even Sozin or Ozai could have achieved."

"I agree with Druzok." Shacklebolt said slowly with a nod of his head. "At this point we will likely take anything that has a chance of ending Hermione's dictatorship. As y'all know I myself was born in the southernmost part of the Fire Nation to a poor, working class family before I joined the United Forces after I graduated from the local Royal Firebending School and I still consider the Fire Nation to be my homeland. I plan on returning there once I retire from public office to live out the rest of my days in the warmth of my birthplace but only if my homeland has been freed that is. Iroh was always seen as a fair and just leader and I admired him so much that I devoted my life and abilities to emulating him. I joined the United Forces because of his service with the United Forces and worked my way up from the ranks of the enlisted to General, albeit for less than a day in the end. I would do anything to see my home freed from under the boot of oppression and tyranny that is crushing the Fire Nation as we speak."

"I was hoping that you would agree that desperate times call for desperate measures but you may reconsider that when you see how desperate I feel we are." Harry said nervously as he nodded to Ron.

Ron reached down and pulled out a large duffle bag under his chair. Standing he hefted it onto the table with a loud thud, opened it, and began handing out a series of thick folders that they had compiled for the Council of World Leaders. Only Harry, Ron, and Chief Robards didn't need one as they had all already seen it though Harry had one anyway and flipped it open to serve as a reference for the upcoming discussion.

The front page showed a mugshot from the Royal Fire Nation Division of Correction and it depicted a handsome, clean shaven, dandy man with short black hair and keen, intelligent eyes. He had a small, knowing smirk on his lips and a confident stare as he gazed at the camera holding a plague with his name on it, despite the information that was listed below.

 **Name:** Pyrites

 **Nation:** Fire Nation

 **Bending:** Fire, lightning generation

 **Convictions:** Plead guilty to 1 count of terrorism, 1 count of conspiracy to commit sedition against the Fire Nation, 1 count of conspiracy to commit treason against the Fire Nation, 1 count of membership of a terrorist organization (Death Eaters), 1 count of treason (Fire Nation), 71 counts of accessory to murder, 83 counts of aiding and abetting the escape of criminals, 4 counts of felony destruction of property, 27,845,792 counts of espionage (all nations), 354,943,710 counts of political corruption through bribery, blackmail, and extortion (all nations), 55,832 counts of perjury (likely more but this was the amount we have found so far). It should be noted that all these counts for the last 3 crimes come from his own ledgers he provided shortly after his arrest and are the added counts of all the actions regarding those involved in his vast spy network and are constantly being updated as the evidence continues to role in. We are still reviewing his ledgers and constantly updating his counts, a task experts expect will take at least a decade to complete.

 **Sentence:** Life imprisonment with supervised release when he becomes too old, must serve a minimum of 40 years. Currently serving his sentence in a classified location known only to the members of Team Avatar, Firelord Iroh, Earth King Wu and the 22 members of the Kyoshi Warriors who have sworn oaths to the Avatar to guard him.

 **Known Affiliation(s):** Fire Assembly (formally, expelled upon felony convictions), Lord Voldemort (formerly), Death Eaters (formerly).

 **Notes:** See attach file (aka 6 encyclopedic volumes on this fucker), there's too much on this asshole to put in a small section.

Harry waited until all the world leaders had finished reading the 1st page and a few had looked at the thick file that contained a summary of Pyrites' history prior to and during his tenure with the Death Eaters, his cooperation and deal. Once they were done Harry waited to see if any had questions regarding the former Death Eater.

"Also the file is the most condensed version we could create on Pyrites." Harry said. "We are still going through the ledgers and at this point an entire room in the RCPD headquarters, and a warehouse at one at the IBI headquarters in Ba Sing Se, have been filled with the evidence we have on him. There is a full inter agency task force dedicated to figuring out the full list, all are added to Pyrites convictions count as part of his plea deal."

"Are you fucking insane Avatar." Prince Zhan said, speaking for the first time. Wu's eldest son was a more built, lighter skinned version of his father with a neat well trimmed brown beard. Zhan was the first Earth Kingdom royal born with earthbending since before the time of Avatar Kyoshi and Harry knew that he was on the upper end of the power spectrum.

"I probably am." Harry said with a not. "But let me explain."

"Yes Harry while I trust your judgment this is a bit of a stretch." Arthur said as he closed the file. "Pyrites is arguably the most notorious Death Eater in history, certainly the highest profile Death Eater we have ever apprehended, even if most of the information on him is classified. Why would we trust him when he is a proven liar."

"I think it's brilliant and it ain't like the first time we've relied on a former Death Eater to aid us when we needed it." Sirius said with a bark of a laugh. "Remember my brother after all. Besides this was the fucker who allowed us to cripple Voldemort's information network towards the end of the war so we know he's willing to be truthful if the price is right or if there's something for him in return for his aid."

"Let's let the Avatar explain his logic." Robards said quieting the discussion. "He has already convinced me of the plan and I thought it was fucking nuts at first but given that we have tried pretty much everything else to breach the blockade of the Fire Nation and the fact that this makes sense once you understand it, I for one am willing to roll the dice on it."

"Very well but first answer this." Zhan said clearly thinking Harry had lost his marbles. "Where is he being held? I was allowed to know that he was the informant who had provided the information for the global raids 5 years ago that crippled Voldemort and turned the tide of the war in our favor and that he had received an isolated cell to protect him from Voldemort's wrath but not where that cell was. I presume that it is within the Earth Kingdom if my father was granted access to the information."

"Technically it is within and Imperial State but at the same time the prison is under the sole authority of the Avatar." Harry said calmly. "It was built by Avatar Kyoshi centuries ago to house Chin the Conqueror but seeing as he died in battle, well fell to his death due to stubbornness, it was never used. After Kyoshi's death it's secret was protected by the Kyoshi Warriors for the use by any subsequent Avatar providing the prisoner was deemed worthy of the isolated nature of the prison. This was why I didn't have to tell people who didn't need to know where it was, well that and the fact that we had to keep the asshole safe from Voldemort for as long as possible. I had given Pyrites my word to protect him from Voldemort and I did. After the war and in the last few years I have honestly forgotten that the traitorous asshole was there but I remembered last week, thanks to Jinora, that he had told me a situation would arise that would require his skill set and I believe that this is such a situation. Plus we're fucking desperate at this point."

"Yes yes but where is he?" Zhan said impatiently.

"Your highness I will tell y'all where he is but know this." Harry said a stern note in his voice. "The prison is under the authority of the Avatar and guarded by the Kyoshi Warriors and as such only I can send someone there. It will not be used to house any high profile criminals you wish to conveniently bury someday."

"I understand Avatar." Zhan said with a nod knowing not to test Harry. He was a strong willed and stubborn man but he knew reason, Harry felt he would make a decent king in the years to come when Wu finally passed.

"Good." Harry responded calming down. "The prison is located near the top of the tallest mountain in the Imperial State of Golguth on the eastern edge of the Earth Kingdom. Due to the height of the mountain, the cold at the top prison prevents him from firebending and the isolation was to prevent him from being killed by Voldemort. I felt he may have a future use if for no other reason than to explain why a sophisticated and educated person such as himself fell for Voldemort's twisted and evil philosophy."

"Yes Regulus has had to explain similar stuff as well." Sirius said with a nod. "Though in my brother's case it was brainwashing from an early age at the hands of our parents, from what I know Pyrites was self radicalized. Very well Harry what do you propose and why this particular individual."

Harry took a deep breath. What he was about to explain and subsequently ask for went against everything he stood for but at times enemies were forced to unite in order to defeat a greater threat to balance. Korra did so when she sought out Zaheer to aid her in defeating Kuvira, why couldn't he seek the aid of the only Death Eater he had had any real firsthand experience with to aid him in bringing Hermione to the justice she so richly deserved.

"After Pyrites surrendered without incident and cut a deal I knew that the man was different." Harry began. "I was the one he made the deal with, the only one he would talk too, and I got a good read on the man. It was a chilling interview to say the least. He's clearly charming, intelligent and a survivalist. The man may be dedicated to Voldemort's ideals, he showed no remorse or regret for his actions, but he would never die for them, rather Pyrites would find a way to survive. He also knew that the information and position he held within Voldemort's inner circle meant that if he was caught he was fucked as Voldemort would kill him to protect the vast amount of information Pyrites possessed. While we all know that Voldemort trusted no one, he allowed the spy network to be centered in one man likely because it would be easier to destroy that info by killing just one person, and those guarding him, should the spymaster get caught. That was why Pyrites had the ledgers, to use as leverage to survive should he be caught before Voldemort was defeated. However both myself and my friends, especially Ron, agree that the ledgers are certainly not his only intelligence assets. This man spent over 25 years building up a network of spies, contacts, dupes and other sources of information the size of which has never been seen before and likely won't be seen again, and that was all for Voldemort. What was to prevent him from simultaneously creating a secondary, backup, network for himself? One that only he knew of and a smaller one that would enable him to hide should he ever need too and travel across borders that have been enforced. Something that Pyrites likely created should he ever fall out of favor with Voldemort or should Voldemort fall, he be outed as a Death Eater and be forced into hiding. I believe Pyrites has such a network and it is one we may be able to use to get into the Fire Nation and destabilize it from within enough that I can take out Hermione and end her tyranny while it is still relatively young and the damage, while atrocious, isn't as bad as it would be if she reigned for 50 more years."

"What makes you think that he won't just use this network to disappear and fuck us over?" Zhan asked. "As you said, the man is a survivalist, a charmer who fooled the whole world into thinking he wasn't a Purist, let alone a Death Eater, during a time when Purist philosophy was at its peak. He could easily wriggle through even your fingers and disappear into the wind and we would be up shit's creek without a paddle while the Avatar is trapped in the Fire Nation."

"A good question your highness." Ron said taking up the explanation and nodding in appreciation of the Prince's forethought. "And one I myself asked Harry when he came to me with this plan last week. Together we came up with a solution. Harry has contacted Varrick Jr. or VJ as he instead we call him, and requested he and/or Future Industries, whom Harry has also contacted, develop a specific and high tech device that we have come up with. Our concept that we have left the genius's work on as it is beyond either of ours abilities is an electronic monitor that can be permanently attacked to a person, say in bracelet form, that limits their movement to certain area. Should they try to leave that are they will be shocked at a rate of a shock a minute and at a low enough voltage to cause discomfort and nothing more. This is a two part system with the device sending out a signal to a secondary device confirming that the suspect is within the range using radio waves. If the secondary device doesn't receive the signal from the bracelet then Pyrites get shocked. The range we had in mind was the Fire Nation, so long as the device was in the Capitol that is. During the mission Harry will have the relay device but after we succeed, should we do so, the device will be given to Druzok upon his return to the throne. In order to prevent the devices from being tampered with all components will be made of platinum and/or plastic, two materials that cannot be bent by benders."

"Why would the companies help?" Arthur asked. "Future Industries may be obligated to aid the Avatar due to Asami's will but VJ isn't and he's only in it for the money."

"You have hit the nail on the head Arthur." Harry said with a smile, "VJ knows that if he succeeds then he has revolutionized a system to track and maintain criminals from slipping away while on bail or parole and that tech would be worth billions to his already vast fortune."

"Agreed." Shacklebolt said with a nod. "That kind of technology could revolutionized law enforcement. Very well, I for one am satisfied with the ability to keep Pyrites within the Fire Nation for the duration of the mission but why would a convicted Death Eater help us?"

"Again President that is a simple question to answer." Harry said getting ready for the biggest ask of the day. "I propose offering Pyrites a deal. In exchange for him helping us not only get into the Fire Nation unseen but in establishing connections with rebel factions, sowing the seeds of dissent and helping build an internal force strong enough to launch the counter coup and take out the Chosen who are responsible for enforcing Hermione's views, as well as providing us material and financial support within the Fire Nation, we offer Pyrites his freedom."

Harry raised his hand to quiet the sudden outbursts from almost all the leaders, excluding Sirius who was still looking at his godson intently. After a moment, and a small burst of flame from his fist, the World Leaders quieted down so that Harry could continue.

"Please let me finish. This freedom will have very stringent conditions of course. He must aid us in all our endeavors to the fullest extend of his abilities, including getting us safely into the Fire Nation. Should we fail then Hermione will certainly have him publicly executed due to his views, we know she has done so with the Purists from the Boiling Rock, excluding the ones she through into the boiling water alive, so what chance does a Death Eater have, especially one as important as Pyrites at that. His execution would be very public, very graphic, very painful, and likely broadcast internationally as Hermione's twisted way of showing the world her special brand of justice. However, should we succeed Pyrites will be granted a lifetime parole as payment for his help. He will never be allowed to take off the monitor, never allowed to leave the Fire Nation, or a portion of the Fire Nation as the range can be scaled back if Druzok desires it to be, and he must report in every week with the White Lotus within the Fire Nation when we restore it to his former glory. Failure to do any of this and he will find his ass back in the freezing shithole its currently in and this time he will never leave it alive. That is my plan and given Pyrites status as a convicted Death Eater and the literally hundreds of millions of felony convictions he has I cannot make this deal without the consent of the Council of World Leaders. It is too great to do so without y'alls complete support."

Harry finished and looked around the room at the collected Heads of State. They were all speechless at his words and he knew it would take them a few moments to collect their bearings and decide whether or not to support his insane plan.

"I for one support this idea in its entirety." Sirius said almost as soon as Harry was done with a broad smile on his face. "It's crazy, risky, desperate and exactly the kinda bullshit, unthinkable, unpredictable, plan that would actually work. I have learned a lot about Pyrites and I agree, the man will do anything to survive and if given a chance to get out of prison after only 5 years for a set of crimes that should by rights keep him in prison for all eternity, if not executed for espionage and conspiracy to commit treason, then he will jump at it. Likely Pyrites foresaw something like this occurring as you said Harry and is just waiting for you to come crawling to him."

"I agree." Arthur said after a moment. "It's risky, crazy even but after seeing all the evidence that he provided on the spy network he had set up for Voldemort turn out to be true, and save my life from an assassination attempt, I believe that he would honor a deal like this so I support this plan even if I don't like sending my two youngest children off on such a dangerous mission deep behind enemy lines and into the most hostile nation the world has ever known."

"I know dad but we are part of Team Avatar this is what we do." Ron said softly. "Both Ginny and I have fought alongside Harry before and will do so again. We know the risks and are willing to take them to help Harry in his duty as the Avatar and to restore peace, freedom, and balance to the Fire Nation."

"Arthur you know your son has a point." Robards added in support of Ron. "I have already given him and Neville an extended leave to aid Harry in this mission and success will look great on his record with the RCPD, especially when it comes to his advancement. I am sure Ginny and Luna will get permission from their superiors as well to aid Harry."

"I know Robards that is why I am agreeing to this." Arthur said with a sigh. "Though Ron you had better call your mother after this and explain it to her, I'm not helping you deal with her opinions on you and your sister going into the Fire Nation that's for you and Ginny to deal with. She's already worried about Charlie being trapped there, which you two will have to look into when you get to the Fire Nation, so she won't be happy about two more of our kids going into harms way."

Ron gulped and paled at this but nodded nonetheless and Harry knew that for all of Molly's complaining and scolding, she would eventually relent to the issue. Being part of Team Avatar had its perks but it came with a great deal of responsibility as well and an expectation to always be at the forefront of any major threat to global balance.

"I see the logic in this plan." Milo said interrupting the conversation and speaking for the first time. "I too support it but I have always loved the outside the box, crazy, plans as they often are the best and this is a textbook Bumi plan."

Harry wanted to ask which Bumi before realizing that it likely applied to both Bumi's he had hear about. That being said there was actually a course at all military colleges and programs that taught Commander Bumi's plans to new officers and how to use them so Milo was likely referring to his uncle.

"It is my county and my people who are suffering under the boot a tyrant who believes all her actions are justified because she thinks herself to be enlightened." Druzok spat, the anger at Hermione clear in his voice. "I know this is desperate but at this point I will take desperate and we have seen in the past that enemies working together against a threat greater than their own has worked, even if that enemy is someone as vile as Pyrites. Though in this case Pyrites' help will only serve his own self interest, something I know firsthand is all the man really cares about. I wish I could go with you Avatar but I know that my place is here and not where I could get captured and publicly killed by an insane girl just because of my birth."

"As much as I am unwilling to see a criminal of Pyrites caliber go free." President Shacklebolt began. "I see the need for it and that at this point we are out of other, saner, options so I will agree to it as well."

They all turned to Prince Zhan, the only one who had yet to provide support for the plan. The man was clearly thinking heavily about it all before he finally spoke up.

"Remember I am only a proxy for my father." Zhan said after he had finished thinking. "I may speak with his voice but at times like this I feel it best to get his confirmation, this is a matter of such magnitude and significance that even as the Crown Prince I feel like I cannot make my father's decision for him. I would like to hear the Avatar's plan for once he retrieves Pyrites from his prison and takes him to the Fire Nation so that I can tell my father all aspects of this plan when I return to Ba Singe Se tomorrow. I assume there is still some time to get back to you and I will make every effort to be quick about it. For now though I know that my father trusts the Avatar implicitly so I will do so too and give His Majesty's approval pending confirmation from King Wu himself."

"Thank you all." Harry said with a mental sigh of relief that his idea hadn't been reject though now he likely had to go through with it. "Prince Zhan please tell his majesty that I intend to go to the prison in Golguth in 2 weeks to speak to Pyrites and make him the offer we have discussed today. I will be in Ba Sing Se in a week, so long as the device is completed by then but I trust that it will be, with the rest of Team Avatar to see my parents. I wish to see my family before such a mission as the rest of my team will get that chance before we go off and try to get behind enemy lines and into the belly of the beast that is Hermione's Fire Utopia. Should Pyrites agree to our conditions then we will travel on Luna's bison from his prison to the Western Air Temple, Pyrites will be shackled and fully restrained at all times in accordance with the laws regarding high profile prisoners. We will strategize more from the Western Air Temple, with the blessing of Marshal Milo that is, when we have more understanding of Pyrites's assets that may or may not still be available. Once we are at the Western Air Temple, though, no one will know of our plans just in case Hermione has spies planted amongst the monks there which I wouldn't put it past the Enlightened to do. Remember there is at least one Enlightened for each element and we know that the Air Enlightened is former Abbess Myrtle of the Eastern Air Temple, who knows how many she secretly converted over the years. After that, it is all down to Pyrites to get us into the Fire Nation and use his resources to aid us on our mission there. From there we will have to work with what we've got. I know it ain't great but it's the best we can do and frankly better than what we have managed so far."

"Of course you can use the Western Air Temple Avatar." Milo said with a small smile. "The Avatar and his friends are always welcome at any of the Air Temples, y'all live on Air Temple Island after all. Don't sweat the plan Harry I know for a fact that Korra went in with less of a plan in the past and still got results."

"Yes Harry from what I have heard the plan sounds solid and my dad should approve." Zhan said. "He will also be delighted that you are coming to Ba Singe Se again and want to throw a feast, if not a full holiday in your honor."

"He very likely will do just that." Harry said with a smile and knew Ron at least would be happy at the idea of a feast even if he wasn't. "I look forward to seeing him again, I know he isn't well so I don't know if I will get the chance to see my king again after this mission, if we survive that is."

That concluded what Harry wanted to talk about and for the rest of the meeting they all caught up on their respective nations events and promised to join Druzok for drinks later if they could. Seeing as most were staying at the Four Elements it wouldn't be hard to meet up with the Fire Prince in his suite. Harry was pleased his plan had worked but he was also nervous about the dangers of the upcoming mission. Pyrites he could handle, he had dealt with him before. No, it was the skulking around the Fire Nation that had him on edge. However if Aang could do it when he was only 12, Harry knew that he could do at the age of 20. They finally had a crazy and wild plan, worthy of King Bumi himself, to take out Hermione and lift the oppression she had subjugated her own kinsmen to and Harry intended to do all he could to make the plan a successful one. He had dealt with Voldemort and he was the best bender in the world that wasn't the Avatar, he could handled a sheltered, delusional, elitist, narcissistic, arrogant, bigoted, regressive, 21 year old girl with mediocre fighting skills. It would take time but Harry vowed to himself and to the world that he would restore balance to the Fire Nation and bring justice to those who had destroyed it, especially the Fire Empress.

 **Honestly there isn't much to mention here as this is a very administrative chapter that sets forth the plan of action for the upcoming story. As usual the next chapter will be released at midnight on Monday. The current release schedule time zone is GMT though that will change to EST in about 6-8 weeks. Keep letting me know what you think of my first sequel in reviews and any questions in reviews or PMs will be answered while constructive notes will be listened too. Until next week.**

 **Stringdog**


	3. Chapter 3

**Here is the third chapter in Book 2 on time as always. The only thing to note here is that there was a suggestion in the reviews for Harry to talk to Regulus about keeping his head down in hostile territory. Unfortunately I didn't have time to add it but I will reference it here and either add the full scene to the upcoming stand alone novella about Regulus' desertion from the Death Eaters or it will appear as a chapter in Avatar: The Tale of Harry. The Lost Adventures when that is released after Book 5. So without further adieu, sit back and enjoy the latest installment in Avatar: The Tale of Harry. Book 2: Equality**

 ** **Disclaimer: As always I own nothing related to either of these two great works of fiction.****

 **Chapter 3**

It had been a hectic two weeks for Harry and his friends. The first week he and Ron had had to persuade Luna, who had been away in the Spirit World for a week and as such was the only one of them unaware of the plan, that their plan was the only one that they could come up with that had a slim chance of success. Luna had agreed with the others that it was all they had left to try so why not, there wasn't anything to lose by implementing the plan after all. Luna never thought in a straight line, likely due to her airbending training, and always kept an open mind so she had been the easiest to persuade. She had also been happy that she would see her father in the Western Air Temple before they ventured behind enemy lines and into the Fire Nation. Xenophilius had made repeated attempts to move to Air Temple Island to be with his daughter but had been shot down each time as Jinora found him to be too eccentric and insane for Republic City. From what Harry had heard he had to agree with Jinora that it was best to keep him in the Western Air Temple.

The rest of the week was spent making preparations, saying their goodbyes to other friends, colleagues, parents, etc. Neville had wrapped up his case and all had received permission to take a leave of absence from their work and/or studies. This had not been hard for them to accomplish as they were all known members of Team Avatar and all they had to say was that Harry had requested their assistance for a matter in Ba Sing Se and that it could take months to resolve. Chief Robards was one of the few who had clearance to know of the plan so he had already granted permission for Ron and Neville to go while Ginny and Luna's supervisors knew that they were part of Team Avatar and had allowed them the leave they requested but had insisted that they keep up with their respective studies. There was a convenient bandit infestation in the mountains near Ba Sing Se as well as an underworld crime problem in the eastern Earth Kingdom states that would hide their real mission from any who didn't need to know about it.

While his friends had been finishing their assignments or projects and getting permission to leave, Harry had traveled to the Elemental Academy to see Prince Regulus. Harry had tried to avoid being noticed when he returned to the Academy but that had failed miserably and he had been forced to sign autographs and chat with students about his actions over the last few years since he had graduated. Eventually he had managed to break free and was able to see Regulus in his office in the Water House. As Crown Prince of the Northern Water Tribe, Regulus had the requisite clearance to know of the mission so once Harry knew that the room they were in was secure he told Regulus about the mission and asked for Regulus' advice on traveling through a nation incognito when one needed to keep one's head low.

Regulus, who had finally been persuaded to write the story of his journey from deserting to the Death Eaters up to his arrival in Omashu, gave Harry his best advice. It basically boiled down to not making a scene, not using abilities that were easily traced like Harry's lavabending, not using their real names, disguising their last know appearances, and trying to stay away from major areas unless they had to go there. Regulus suggested that they stick to the countryside but he also admitted that when he deserted he had no support, limited knowledge of the Fire Nation prior to his journey there as that was his first and only visit to the nation, and Regulus didn't have someone as resourceful as Pyrites to call on, providing Pyrites agreed to the deal. Pyrites would be able to provide them with materials that Regulus didn't have access too like fake IDs, money, lodging and possibly transportation. It had been a useful meeting however and Harry had taken notes on what to do, he would discuss this later with his team when they had the chance to talk by themselves about their strategy if they breached the blockade and made it into the Fire Nation.

At the end of the week the latest luxury Future Industries airship arrived at Air Temple Island to take Team Avatar to Ba Sing Se. It was the same design as the one that had been destroyed in the Battle over Tor Blinn though this one had more rooms and amenities than the last one as it was a newer model. In her will Asami had left the company to Bolin and Mako as she and Korra had not had children. She had also left a clause stating that Future Industries was to aid and provide material support to the Avatar whenever he or she should need it in the future free of cost, within reason and only so long as the Avatar continued to act for the good of the world. That meant an airship, access to the company's satomobile pool and other tech that may become available or if it wasn't available to try and create it, though Harry wasn't going to abuse the privilege. The last part regarding the creation of new technology had done with Harry's monitoring system.

Harry had wondered if it was even possible but between Varrick Jr. and Future Industries they had been able to create a working tracker and receiver that would suffice for the meeting, they could always upgrade the system attached to Pyrites with newer tech if they succeeded as they would know where to find Pyrites while he was on parole. The new technology ran on a low level radio frequency, below what radios actually used so as to avoid interference, but that could still be adjusted as needed. It was only calibrated to work between the two specific devices. Once turned on, if the received did not receive a signal from the monitor ever 5 minutes, again a feature that could be changed, then the subject would be shocked for every failed reception.

In addition the receiver could be used to send a shock to the suspect should the holder of it feel like doing so as a means of control but Harry knew there was a potential for abuse and so far there was no way of avoiding that other than to stop the abuser. Due to the range on the devise it could be used to keep the suspect within a specified area thus limiting the person's movements significantly and allowing law enforcement to know the vague location of the individual. Currently that range was the geographical area of the Fire Nation as they needed the leeway to allow Pyrites to operate and it served to bind him to the Fire Nation if they won and the former Death Eater survived.

Both devises were made using materials that couldn't be bent by any known bender and due to the complexity they could only work with each other. The monitor was an ankle bracelet that once locked in place could only be removed by a command from the receiver, so during the mission only Harry could deactivate it. Overall Harry had been pleased with the result, as had Varrick and Future Industries as the joint venture was already gaining media attention and both companies, who had decided to share the patent and profits, had already received lucrative contracts from authorities and governments around the world to produce and supply them with the technology they needed to keep track of certain criminals.

Now though, they were well on their way back to Ba Sing Se and Harry would see his parents for the first time in almost a year, despite being in the Lower Ring 6 months ago to apprehend Peter. They had been so busy that he hadn't found the time to make it to the Imperial Capital or to home to Omashu when his parents were home, which they had been 6 months ago so he had just missed them that time. Also given Peter's habit of slipping away, Harry had been forced to transfer him immediately to the White Lotus Firebending Supermax Prison.

The journey had mercifully been uneventful, though there weren't many air brigands who would attack an airship that was carrying the Avatar. Harry and his friends spared, relaxed, ate and talked about what to do for the next week while they made final preparations in Ba Sing Se. They already had the supplies that they needed for the mission, all that was left to do was to get Wu's vote in favor of the mission, which was a foregone conclusion according to Zhan's last message, and inform the Kyoshi office in the Upper Ring of their plans to take custody of their prisoner.

Harry knew that the female warriors, at least the Ba Sing Se contingent was all female but men could join the Kyoshi Warriors if they chose to, would agree with them on the importance of their task to remove the Fire Empress from power. According to Hermione, all of the Kyoshi Warriors guarding Iroh had been murdered defending him from the coup that she had launched, including their captain Suki, though Hermione blamed the girls for their own deaths by calling them brainwashed slaves of tyrants who she had been trying to save.

The massacre of the Warriors during Hermione's coup had been a huge blow to them as Suki was seen as the next in line to lead the whole guild when her mother stood down from the position in a few years. That role now fell to her younger sister Katara but the blow had been huge to the small, tight guild, both to their honor and their emotions. The girls would easily agree to any chance, no matter how slim or crazy it was, to take down the bitch who had murdered their sisters while claiming she had only wanted to help them throw off the chains of slavery that Zuko and his descendants had bound them in. It was just one of the many crimes that Harry hoped to eventual bring Hermione to justice for, when the time came.

Right now the team was on the observation deck of the airship as they flew over the Agrarian Zone and towards the Lower Ring of Ba Sing Se. Harry and Ginny stood at the front, leaning on the railing and looking out towards the Imperial Capital while Neville and Ron were doing a light sparring session using nonbending weapons, Neville's jian sword against Ron wielding only a pair of hunting knives for some reason. Both blades were sheathed to avoid injury. Lastly Luna was busy cleaning Pandora though her bison was already spotless. They had all agreed that they would leave Ba Sing Se under the cover of night in a week's and travel on Pandora to Pyrites' prison in Golguth. The airship was too big and conspicuous to be used for a covert mission of this nature. They would likely have to send Pandora back to the Western Air Temple when they had to sneak into the Fire Nation as it would be hard to keep her hidden while skulking around the heavily policed rouge nation.

Harry had also regretted having to leave Hedwig on Air Temple Island but she was not suited for the mission at all. They couldn't physically take her into the Fire Nation due to her size and even if they could, she would stick out like a sore thumb when they got there. Harry was sure his albino badgermole didn't particularly mind as she was likely getting pampered and spoiled by the airbenders and air acolytes at Air Temple Island while he was away.

Harry inhaled a deep breath of air before he suddenly began coughing and spluttering as he doubled over and gagged. He had been so absorbed in his own thoughts about the upcoming mission that he hadn't realized that they had crossed from the Agrarian Zone and into the Lower Ring. As a result Harry had just inhaled the pungent scents of pollution, decay, death, and filth that permeated the lowest rings of Ba Sing Se. Despite the Lower Ring being divided into 4 separate states there had been little progress in cleaning the place up and all of Wu's efforts had failed due to rampant corruption, apathy and sheer numbers that existed in Ba Sing Se's Lower Ring.

"What's wrong with Harry?" Luna asked looking over to where Harry was now retching on the platform. "He looks like he swallowed a blithering humdinger."

"No Luna he just completely forgot we were over the Lower Ring and took a nice deep smell of the lovely air we are currently passing through." Ginny said with a laugh that was joined by the others, even Harry himself when recovered from his exposure to the air.

"Nargles." Was all Luna said to that before returning to pampering Pandora.

"We should get down and get ready though." Ron said ending his sparring session with Neville. "We should be in Imperial Palace shortly and y'all know how much pomp and ceremony is required while in Ba Sing Se."

Harry nodded in agreement and they all went down to grab their things and make their way to the exit. They had a little more that would remain on the airship until it was time to leave Ba Sing Se and then it would be loaded onto Pandora. Once they were there at the exit door it was only a few moments before Harry felt the airship begin its descent before the slight bump of touchdown. A moment later the gangway opened onto the large square and airship hub for the Imperial Palace. Blinking a little at the sun Harry and his friends made their way down the gangway to meet the expected welcoming committee.

Unlike the last few times when Harry had arrived in Ba Sing Se for various reasons, be it unannounced or in secret to apprehend criminals, this was the first time his arrival was publicly known and planned so the welcoming committee was not only expected but required for someone of the Avatar's status. Harry saw King Wu in front and center as was required of the Earth Monarch. The Earth King was now confined to a wheelchair given his age though according to Harry's dad that hadn't deterred Wu's spirit of fun, in fact it had increased it now that the king could make anything into a ride. Standing on either side of King Wu was Mako and Bolin, the latter of whom had come up from Zaofu for the feast. Bolin's wife Opal was with him as well along with his son Han, his daughter Su Lynn was an officer in the RCPD and not present. Harry had met them briefly after Su's funeral and the formal announcement of Zaofu's statehood a few years back. Then there were his parents, his father reserved and cool despite the formal attire, his mother bursting to embrace him but unable to do so as it wouldn't be proper decorum, not that Wu cared for that shit.

Lastly, and on the outsides of the welcoming committee, there was Director Abbott of the IBI and Grand Secretariat Fletchley. McPhail had retired the year before due to his age, though the former Grand Secretariat apparently still taught a class at Ba Sing Se College of Law, and representative Fletchley had been elected to replace McPhail for the current Imperial Congressional session. The latest Grand Secretariat of Ba Sing Se was a nonbender who's son Justin had been in the Earth House with Harry and who was currently under suspicion of membership of the Chosen given his status as a first generation bender and his known association with Hermione during her brief tenure at the Academy.

Justin had been one of Hermione's lackeys the day she had tried to kill him after his firebending mastery test but had not left the Academy with her and would later renounce her beliefs as dangerous and extreme. Unbeknownst to almost everyone but Team Avatar, King Wu, Director Abbott and a few trusted IBI agents, Justin had been under investigation and observation for the last 5 years while a case was being built against him for treason. It was clear that Justin was still an active member of the Chosen and a cell leader in the ISEK with the goal of bringing down the whole Imperial System and replacing it with a puppet government under Justin that was loyal to Hermione and followed her laws and policies as if they were part of the Fire Utopia. This was why Harry was a little uncomfortable having the current Grand Secretariat present to greet him but he knew that Imperial law and custom dictated that the Grand Secretariat of Ba Sing Se be present to greet and announce all visitors to the Imperial Palace and the seat of the Imperial Government.

"Avatar Harry welcome back to the Upper Ring of Ba Sing Se and to the Imperial Palace once again." The Grand Secretariat said to formally welcome Harry to the Imperial Palace as he bowed low to the Avatar. "And welcome to the retinue you have brought with you. Prince Ron and Princess Ginevra of the Southern Water Tribe, Lord Neville of the Fire Nation and er Mistress Luna of the Western Air Temple, the ISEK formally welcomes you."

"It's actually Monk Luna if you wish to use my formal title." Luna said with a smile. "I was elevated to that rank after I graduated from the Academy. Mistress is a title I would consider using in the bedroom but as I am submissive to Prince Ron it would never be used."

Harry knew that Earth Kingdom upper class customs dictated a formal announcement like this but he had always found them uncomfortable. Though he did enjoy Fletchley's discomfort at the fact that the Air Nation had no aristocracy which made ranks a little hard. At least that was until Luna decided to be way too blunt and sexual at which point he wanted to smack his head on something out of exasperation, even Harry found this beyond what was proper for the situation.

"Put a sock in it Fletchley." Wu said clearly not caring about the formalities, or Luna's comment. "You know I hate standing on ceremony, well sitting on ceremony nowadays, especially when our friends are here."

"Sorry your majesty but it is law." The Grand Secretariat said respectfully. "Remember we overrode your veto on it, as we seem to do on almost all bills that enshrine our traditions into Imperial Law."

"Meh." Wu said waving his hand in dismissal at Fletchley. "Mako wheel me over to greet the Avatar so we can get this formal greeting over with. I can feel Lily making the earth shake slightly as she bounces in anticipation and I hate getting between a mother and her son."

Harry blushed slightly at his mother's actions and Wu was right his mother was inadvertently earthbending as she waited for the formalities. Mako groaned as he pushed the Earth King towards Harry. Wu couldn't embrace him from his position so he was forced to shake Harry's hand instead. As soon as that was over and therefore signalling the end of the formalities, Lily ran over to embrace her son, followed by James.

"Welcome back son." His father said with a smile as he ruffled Harry's hair while his mother continued to embrace him in front of some of the most powerful and influential people in the Earth Kingdom. "We missed you when you were last here but Peter was a priority, plus I do try to visit Omashu at least once a week to make sure my constituents are happy. I can't believe that elephant rat was hiding out here all along but I am glad we finally got the bastard."

"It made sense Senator." Abbott said as the group finished introductions and began heading to the entrance of the Imperial Palace. "Ba Sing Se has the largest underground criminal scene in the world due to it being the largest city in the world. While the Unified Triad was crushed with the arrest of Scabior, thank you for that Neville by the way, there is still a lot of organized crime in the Lower Ring and a man of Peter's talents would go far in that scene. Thankfully Ron's tip paid off and with the Avatar's help we were able to corner him. He tried to run, even tried to trick us, but in the end we got him, minus his right hand that he blew off. Chief Sirius has locked him in a special cell in the White Lotus Firebending Supermax Prison where he will spend the rest of his days freeing his tiny balls off in the Northern ice wastes."

"Enough shop talk, we can do that later when the Avatar and I have a private word regarding his mission in Ba Sing Se." Wu said as he was wheeled towards the palace entrance. "There is a feast to get to and I left Ambassador Percy and my son in a heated argument regarding the proper etiquette, formalities and regulations for such a feast and it was just getting interesting."

"My brother is here?" Ron and Ginny asked at the same time. Harry was too busy marveling at how smoothly Wu had lied about the nature of Harry's mission. The man could be quite serious and business like when he wanted to be, it was part of the reason why Wu was likely going to be remembered as one of the best rulers in Earth Kingdom history.

"Yes he is the Southern Water Tribe Ambassador and this is a formal feast in honor of the Avatar's arrival." Fletchley said as they walked. "All the dignitaries and nobles from around Ba Sing Se, and some from farther away, are coming to it given that the Avatar is the one being honored. It's the most exclusive invite of the year, if not the decade, and that's saying something given that both his majesty's and his pet bear's birthdays are normally the most exclusive parties in the nation. That being said I am still vexed as to why the Southern Water Tribe Ambassador knows more about our rules and regulations than the Crown Prince, or any person in the ISEK for that matter."

"That's because rules and regulations get Percy hard." Ginny said bluntly, clearly channeling her inner Luna, causing everyone but the Grand Secretariat to laugh. "He was the perfect choice for the position and it got him out of our hair in the South where he wanted to install similar laws on custom as are here in Ba Sing Se."

"Yeah he'll probably stay here until he dies." Ron added. "He loves the rules that govern this place. He claims its all about culture and sophistication, we just think he doesn't know what fun is."

"Well he is also married to a noblewoman and earthbender from the Earth Kingdom." Wu said. "Given the general stubbornness of my citizens it will be hard to get her to move to the Southern Water Tribe when he retires. Besides, my son takes after me with his enjoyment of feasts and doesn't care about rules that the Imperial Congress keeps passing to govern these events. Though Zhan doesn't sing as I have been known to do in the past, regulations be damned. Alas with my frail condition I can no longer serenade my guests for hours every time I hold a feast."

Harry was certain he heard a sigh of relief from Mako at Wu's final statement. Harry had heard of Wu's penchant for terrible singing but fortunately he had never actually heard the Earth King sing, yet. For the rest of the walk they all just made small talk. Harry caught up with his parents about how they were getting along here and learned his father was shortlisted for the chairmanship of the Senate Cultural Committee due to his probending experience. Ron, Neville and Director Abbott talked about the current state of policing in both the ISEK and Republic City while Luna regaled Wu with tales of her adventures in the spirit world that had the Earth King constantly laughing at various antics that Luna and the spirits had gotten up too while they were there. Only Ginny was silent as she didn't know or have anything in common with the other members of the welcoming committee.

It took about 15 minutes to reach their destinations given the size of the palace but soon they had been shown to their rooms, the King had insisted that they stay in the palace while in town, and left alone to get ready for the feast that night. Harry and Ginny showered and got ready in the formal Earth Kingdom clothes that had been provided for them, all expertly tailored to the pair despite neither having been measured. Harry always hated these extravagant events but he knew that they were so ingrained in the culture, ethos and customs of Ba Sing Se that it would be an insult to not indulge in them. They also brought back a sense of the past before the Red Lotus, the anarchy and then the tyranny of Kuvira so they served as a source of comfort to some people as well.

The feast itself was a fun event. Harry may not feel like they were necessary but he would always have fun at them, especially one thrown by King Wu as the king always tried to make them fun even with all the required pomp and ceremony. Despite the lack of adherence to regulations Ron's brother Percy had been relaxed and happy to see them though Harry had a feeling that was more a mixture of his pregnant wife, who was fawned over by Ginny and Luna all night, and the shot of cactus juice that Ron had slipped into his wine than the fact that he had lost his argument with the Crown Prince about the requirements for the feast. It wasn't enough to get Percy fucked up but it was enough to loosen him up a little.

Harry spent most of the evening with his father meeting various important people in the ISEK. Nobles from Ba Sing Se and the surrounding states, key senators and representatives, governors from the neighboring states who could make it, high ranking military personnel, and important businessmen and academics. Harry just sat back for the ride and enjoyed the event, and the wine, as he knew it would be the last such extravagance they would be able to enjoy for a while, if ever depending on how their mission went. After this week they would be either living the Air Nomad life at the Western Air Temple or traveling the Fire Nation as simple commoners trying to keep their heads down while figuring out how to defeat Hermione. Regulus had helped them on the latter part as he himself had wandered the Fire Nation as a homeless man for 2 years. Tonight though Harry was going to have a good time.

The highlight of the night had to be when a drunk Ron grabbed two massive plates of cooked meat and put one in front of Bosco II, Wu's bear and challenged the bear to a steak eating contest. He even called the bear a bitch which wasn't proper etiquette but Wu was too focused on the contest to care. Ron actually held his own but ultimately lost before embracing the tame bear and proceeding to get even more absolutely wasted, along with Luna. Yes the night had been fun.

* * *

The next afternoon while most of them, especially Ron and Luna who had been found naked in a hedge by the ground screw that morning, were recovering from the feast, Harry met privately with Wu and his son to go over Team Avatar's plan for getting into the Fire Nation. As expected Wu agreed that the only way to bring down Hermione was from within like a cancer, ironically similarly to how the Enlightened had brought down the Fire Nation to begin this incident. Wu was willing to take the risk with Pyrites as they were really shit out of options about how to breach Hermione's blockade of her own nation. Wu had lived through Kuvira and was an assassination target during her tyranny so he knew how bad a tyrant like Hermione could be and how important it was to take her out in order to restore peace, justice and balance.

The rest of the week passed much more smoothly for Team Avatar than the first night had. They spent their time with Harry's parents, the Earth King or Percy and his wife. It was a little relaxation before the impending mission and they needed it. There were of course a few meetings that they had to have with the Earth King, Director Abbott and various congressional groups but none of those had been too taxing for them.

It wasn't all fun and games though as they still made a point to shop for last minute supplies and weapons they may need and to do some research on the Fire Nation. Only Neville knew the nation and he didn't know much outside of what his grandmother had allowed him to go so they needed to be well versed in it as the others had only been there once and they had never left the Royal Palace when they had been there.

Ron had suggested that they try and find Charlie and the others agreed hoping that he had been wise enough not to advertise his heritage when the nation fell lest he become a key prisoner for Hermione, Charlie was currently third in line for the Chiefdom of the Southern Water Tribe so a very valuable prisoner for Hermione. The last they knew Charlie had been living and working in the Dragon Sanctuary training and breeding the few dragons that remained in the Fire Nation. It was a royal proclamation of Zuko's to bring the dragons back from the brink of extinction and it was still a colossal undertaking that would take centuries given the nature of the dragons.

The last errand Harry had done in regards to the mission was go to the Kyoshi Warriors' Ba Sing Se headquarters and speak with their commander, one of only 22 girls cleared to know the location of the prison, about the plan. She had not been happy that their high profile prisoner was being released but she understood why he may be of use and as with all the Kyoshi Warriors she wanted Hermione in chains and brought to justice for her crimes against them. Her only request was that when the bitch was brought down she be placed in the custody of the Kyoshi Warriors in Pyrites Prison or an equally dark, pitiless hole for the rest of her life, that was if she managed to escape a death sentence for murdering the Firelord. Harry couldn't say no to the determined and frankly scary woman and agreed, he knew the other World Leaders would agree as well after how well the girls had guarded Pyrites. He would have done so anyway as it was a fitting punishment for her, he knew the Kyoshi Warriors would make sure Hermione never harmed another living soul again if they were the ones guarding her, should she be taken alive.

It was now the last day of their stay in Ba Sing Se and Harry had turned down invites from his parents, Wu, Percy and many other influential members of Ba Sing Se's high society to have a small private dinner with just his friends. He had asked Wu to get them a private room at the best restaurant in Ba Sing Se which the King had readily obliged and the restaurant's owner had been only too willing to agree to. It wasn't everyday you got the chance to cater for the Avatar and his friends personally and at the request of the Earth King no less. Harry hated using his status like this but he knew it had its perks and he knew that in Ba Sing Se culture the owner's prestige and reputation would be vastly increased by this. It was also how things were done around here and Harry knew that right now it was better to play the game then to try and change it.

Now though it was just the 5 of them sitting around a fine wooden table on well crafted, comfortable, chairs. It was a private and 100% secure room in the basement of the restaurant reserved for dignitaries and private meetings like this. They had just been served a bottle of the finest local wine from the best vineyard in the Agrarian Zone and each had a tailored meal, all paid for by the Earth King. Ron was licking his lips at the succulent steak he had been served, Luna had a vegetable delicacy that the restaurant was famous for, Ginny had a balance meal of meat and vegetables, Neville had been served spiced meat that was similar to what he knew from the Fire Nation and Harry had a plate of stuffed dumplings and noodles in a chicken pig broth. As soon as the waiters had left and given them the privacy they needed Harry got down to business. He wanted to do a final check for the mission at the dinner as it would be the last time they had the chance to do so, they left Ba Sing Se in a few hours.

"Ron is everything set?" Harry asked his best friend.

"All the gear is in mine and Luna's room and it has been triple checked." Ron said confidently. "Including the stuff we had to get from the airship this morning. Unfortunately we do not know the current prevailing fashion styles in the Fire Nation but we can easily adjust to that."

"Good." Harry said. "Neville how have out back stories come?"

"As well as can be." Neville said after swallowing a mouthful of food. "I factored in all I could about my homeland. It will be hard to persuade them that y'all are natives but given the now multicultural nature of the world it isn't as hard as it would have been during Aang's time. Ron and Ginny will be second generation nonbenders who's grandparents migrated from the Southern Water Tribe. Luna you have grown your hair out on top so for the most part your tattoos are hidden but just to be safe you will wear a headband and gloves. Just say you have scars your ashamed of there or something, otherwise once you dye your hair you will look like a local. Again you will have to try and pass as a nonbender."

"I hate hiding my arrow but it is too noticeable." Luna agreed. "And I only have hair on my head, everywhere else is nice and shaved bald."

As an airbender Luna usually shaved the crown of her head to show off her arrow but for the last few weeks she had been growing her hair out so now it was covered. Harry knew that she wouldn't cut it until after the mission so it would look more natural in a few weeks but right now it just looked like an odd, teen, fashion statement.

"Thank you Luna for once again providing us with way too much information." Harry said with a sigh. "Go on Neville."

"Right well myself and Harry will be firebenders." Neville said. "Though the weapons can be carried unless there is a law against it as it has been historical in the nation to wield both fire and a sword. I will be a native while Harry will be the descendant of colonists from the 100 year war who moved back shortly before the coup. That will explain his more Earth Kingdom features."

"Agreed, now have y'all thought about changing your appearance?" Harry asked. "I'm trying to grow a goatee as I am unknown to have facial hair and I intent on shaving the sides of my head to form a lovely rat tail."

"Yeah I'm going with the bald and thick beard look." Ron said running his hand through his long red hair longingly. That would explain why he had been growing it out for the last two weeks Harry realized, he just thought Ron was being lazy.

"I will be dying my hair black as will Ron." Ginny said giving Ron a pointed look. "It isn't common to see red hair anywhere and the Southern Water Tribe Royal Family is famous for being one of the few families with it. Also we will have to reapply the dye regularly as red hair doesn't hold dye particularly well for some reason."

"I'm going with brunette as blond isn't common among Fire Nation commoners." Luna said. "That was we all look relatively local and aren't suspected as being spies."

"Agreed though of course we will need to confirm all this with Pyrites." Harry said. "As much as I hate putting so much faith in a convicted Death Eater he does know the nation the best. It was his home and base so I doubt there are many that know it better."

"That is only if he actually helps us." Ginny pointed out. "We aren't sure he will."

"True but given his desire to get out of the cold shithole we threw his worthless ass in I'm sure he will see the logic in helping us." Harry said. "And of course if he doesn't we just throw him right back into that cold tomb and let him rot there."

"True." Ginny said with a nod. "Plus he offers us a unique chance to study how the psychology of the Death Eaters works. At least he is one of the few ones who is intelligent and not a raving zealot. This is a great chance to understand how at least one of the two extremes think."

"Agreed." Ron said. "I've interviewed the few survivors and it wasn't productive. Crabbe and Goyle weren't much smarter than their sons which given Goyle's position surprised me. The only one who had any intelligence was Rookwood, not counting Scabior as he is an opportunist and crime boss not an extremist."

"Goyle just ruled by fear and violence." Harry remarked on Goyle's tenure as Governor of Yi. "He didn't know anything else so he wouldn't be of any help."

"I can see that." Ron said nodding. "Rookwood was too injured to talk to thanks to myself and Ginny so he was a no go and when I tried last year at the firebending prison all I got was a string of abuse. I don't think he quite forgave me for throwing a knife into his ass so he was no help in trying to figure out how to get into the Fire Nation. I got the same amount of abuse from Lucius, Nott and Alecto while Jugson just ignored me when I visited him. Pyrites however might be more receptive. He does love to talk about himself and his views and we do have a long bison ride to the Western Air Temple to allow him to ramble."

"Agreed." Harry said. "There are a few questions I too wish to ask that asshole."

They spent the rest of the meal making small talk and enjoying the company of each other. It was nice to have these meals from time to time as they all lived hectic, busy, lives and that while rewarding they did need the occasional break from them. Harry however had an ulterior motive for the dinner. He had spoken about it to Chief Arthur after the meeting 3 weeks ago and received his blessing to do so. True he would have preferred something more romantic but given the company and the impending mission Harry felt that now was the right time.

As soon as the dessert was cleared and they all sat back in contented silence from the delicious meal Harry stood up.

"There was one other thing I wanted to talk about tonight." Harry said with a smile as he walked behind Ginny and reached into his pocket. "Something I have to do before we go off on this dangerous mission deep behind enemy lines."

As planned they were all in a food coma and didn't comprehend what Harry was saying or what he had pulled out in his closed fist. Opening his hand so that only his thumb and forefinger were holding one end of the fine silk ribbon Harry let the betrothal necklace fall in front of his girlfriend's eyes. The sea green semi precious stone glinted in the light of the room, the fused national symbols of their respective nations etched into it clear to Ginny's eyes.

"Princes Ginevra of the Southern Water Tribe would you do me the honor of becoming my wife." Harry said as he lowered the necklace and fastened it around her neck using the words and actions that Arthur had instructed him to use as this was one of the few formal ceremonies in the Southern Water Tribe.

He knew he should wait for her answer before actually putting the necklace on her but he also knew that he could wait. He had her answer soon enough as she touched the stone at her throat, her eyes likely wide in shock and amazement, before turning and tackling Harry, not an easy feat given Harry was an earthbender and had a great center of balance while standing on earth. As Harry hit the floor with Ginny on top of him she kissed him passionately while the others watched still too stunned to react.

"I take that as a yes." Harry said when Ginny broke the embrace but showed no sign of wanting to get off him.

"Yes, Avatar Harry, a thousand times yes!" Ginny said slightly breathless from the passionate embrace. "Yes I will marry you. What took you so fucking long to ask."

 **I hope y'all enjoyed the ending to this chapter. There really isn't much to note here other than that y'all should get ready for the return of Pyrites next week. As usual the next chapter will be up in a week's time. Keep letting me know what y'all think in the reviews and any questions asked there or in PMs will be answered at the start of next week's chapter while anything constructive will be listened too. Until next week.**

 **Stringdog**


	4. Chapter 4

**Here is the fourth chapter in Book 2 on time as always. Nothing new to address here from last week so sit back and enjoy the latest installment in Avatar: The Tale of Harry. Book 2: Equality.**

 ** **Disclaimer: As always I own nothing related to either of these two great works of fiction.****

 **Chapter 4**

Dawn had just broken and Team Avatar were on a nearly fully laden Pandora en route to Pyrites' Prison on the eastern edge of the Earth Kingdom. In order to keep everything confidential, and to prevent the chances of their plans being found out, the girls guarding the former Death Eater and spymaster were not to be told of their arrival. As the Avatar and as such the custodian of the special prison, Harry did not need an announcement of his arrival, he could just show up whenever. That didn't make Harry feel bad about showing up unannounced but it was a necessary safety precaution. Besides, Harry had all the necessary, signed, paperwork in his bag that they would need to both offer Pyrites the deal and then should he accept it, take him with them to the Western Air Temple, their next stop on their journey to the Fire Nation.

The Team had left shortly before daybreak so as to avoid detection. Officially they were in the area east of Ba Sing Se to root out a bandit leader wanted by the IBI but that was only their cover for their real mission just in case Hermione had spies within the walls of Ba Sing Se, something that Harry was certain of. Harry looked around at his friends as they flew. Ron and Neville were sleeping at the back of the saddle as the flight would take 8 hours on Pandora and they hadn't slept much the night before as they had left Ba Sing Se an hour ago while it was still dark. Luna was on her bison's head and absolutely wired on coffee, which didn't take much and was often not a pretty sight, so that she could fly the initial leg of the journey. Ginny was cuddling up next to him touching her throat where the necklace had been the night before.

His fiancé, it sounded weird to think of Ginny as such but Harry still loved that she had agreed to marry him, had regretfully taken the necklace off after dinner. They had all complemented Harry on it once the surprise of the proposal had worn off and they realized that Ginny had said yes. Harry had explained that he wanted to do it before the mission just in case something happen while in the Fire Nation and they were a team so he wanted them there when he asked her. After dinner they had gone to the Southern Water Tribe's ambassador's residence where Percy lived so that Ginny could give it to her brother for safekeeping as it would look out of place and as such might give them away while they were in the Fire Nation. He had been stunned at the news but had agreed to keep it safe for her until the mission was over.

"And if you tell our mother about this before I get back and can tell her myself I will show you wroth so great that mom will look like a cute fuzzy animal by comparison." Ginny said before they left. Percy had nervously had agreed to keep it a secret until after the mission should it be a success.

Harry leaned back in the saddle, rested his head on the cushioned side and closed his eyes. He was exhausted and in need of some rest before dealing with Pyrites for the first time in over 5 years, something he had hoped he would never have to deal with again. While he had found Pyrites an intriguing person when he had interviewed the captured Death Eater due to the man's intelligence and sophistication, his demeanor had chilled Harry and Harry knew that the man was a pure sociopath. However, Pyrites was still their best bet to get into the Fire Nation at this point so Harry had to grit his teeth and deal with the silver tongued spy. With the worries of seeing Pyrites again going through his mind, Harry fell asleep

As soon as Harry felt that he had closed his eyes he was being gently shaken awake by someone. Opening his eyes then shutting them again at the light of the sun Harry realized he must of fallen asleep for longer than he planned. He tried opening his eyes again and this time managed to do so to see that it was Ginny who was shaking him awake.

"Good your awake Harry." She said giving him a light kiss. "You fell asleep so we let you rest."

"How far out are we?" Harry asked sitting up and looking around.

"Not very far, half an hour or so." Ginny replied as Harry looked over to see what the others were up too.

Ron was studying a map of the Fire Nation with a thoughtful look while comparing it to a journal by his side that likely had some notes in it about what to expect in the blockaded nation. It was impressive that he was doing this as Luna was napping with the head in his lap, her face buried in his crotch in a very Luna pose that made Harry a little uncomfortable to see. Neville was on steering duty on Pandora's head so he didn't have to witness the scene behind him. Harry looked out to the far horizon and could just about make out the tops of a tall, snow capped, mountain range in the distance. Based on the mountains in the distance, Harry deduced that they must be within the Imperial State of Golguth by now. That meant that the tallest of the mountains housed they're destination; Pyrites' Prison.

Stretching Harry crawled over to his bag, he hated standing on a flying bison due to the precarious nature of flight, though he did like flying on one, and extracted a folder. Inside was a copy of the deal that he was to propose to Pyrite, with all the conditions attached as well as the signatures of Chiefs Arthur and Sirius, President Shacklebolt, Crown Prince Druzok, Archabbot Milo and King Wu. All it needed now was his own signature and that of Pyrites agreeing to the deal unilaterally and without argument to make it official. The folder also had a copy for Ty La as well as the release order signed by himself that transferred the custody of Pyrites from that of the Kyoshi Warriors to him. He hoped that the bubbly warden wouldn't get too upset at him taking away her prisoner, it was for a just cause after all. The could always reuse this prison for Hermione or another high profile firebender in the future.

Harry put the file to the side, under a weight to avoid it blowing away, and reached into the bag again, this time to get a thick, green, winter jacket out for the cold. The rest of the journey he spent going over the file while the others got ready. It was a clear day so no need to worry about snow at the peak of the mountain but it would still be freezing up there, that was the point of the prison. For the last 10 minutes Luna took over and brought her bison around the mountain so that they looked down on the snow covered, artificial plateau for the first time since they had left it 5 years ago, for the boys that is as the girls had never been here before.

Not much had changed since Harry had dumped Pyrites' ass here during the Second Purity War. The girls had kept the path Harry and Ron had created clear of snow but the banks on either side had grown while the earth dome Harry had created was now buried in the stuff. Luna brought Pandora in to hover over the path while Harry leapt from the bison's back and onto the path with a little airbending to soften his landing.

As soon as Harry landed on the path he turned earthbent a landing pad out mountain for Pandora to land safely on. Once the bison hand landed, after a little maneuver from Luna, the others disembarked from Pandora, Ron holding the file, with the exception of Luna who stayed to feed her bison and throw their stuff down to them. Pandora would need a day's rest at least before taking on the long journey across the western ocean to the Western Air Temple. They planned on staying the night here before flying off in the morning.

As soon as Harry turned around, his bag over his shoulder, the file in hand after Ron had given it to him, he found himself face to face with the business ends of two spears. Good thing the honor of the Kyoshi Warriors prevented them from stabbing Harry in the back or else he would have already been skewered as the ground was too cold to stand on without shoes and use his seismic sense.

"I am Avatar Harry." Harry said raising his hands slowly in surrender. "I am here to see Warden Ty La. I apologize for the unannounced visit but I am here on official, classified, business and I need to see the warden. I have confidential information for her pertaining to a mission myself and my friends are undertaking and I need her assistance. Due to this sensitive information I could not relay my information other than in person."

"Stand down girls haven't you seen pictures of the Avatar before." Came a girlish, excited voice from behind the two warrior guards.

The girls backed up and stood at attention to the side leaving, their spears now pointing straight up. There just enough room for the acrobatic warden to walk through. Due to her makeup Harry couldn't tell if the years had aged the young warden at all but Harry doubted it. The warden still looked as bright and as happy as she had been when he had dropped her off here more than 5 years back. The golden rank fan, with the three bars of a warden, that was on a band encircling her brown hair was polished to a mirror shine. She ran the rest of the way and surprised Harry with a hug before she repeated the embrace with the other members of Team Avatar who had disembarked, lingering a little longer with Ginny than was probably necessary.

"So, what brings you back to my nice little prison?" Ty La asked as she lead them back to the small mountain complex. "Ladies, what are you staring at! Go help Luna with her bison then bring her and her stuff down to our common room. The Avatar and his friends have likely traveled a long way and are in need of rest and some hot food so don't leave them waiting. Just because we haven't had guests before doesn't mean we have forgotten how to be hospitable."

Harry was impressed at the lithe girl's command of her guards but they had been together as a unit for 5 years, either stationed here on the mountain or in Ba Sing Se on leave, so she did have the time to perfect her authority and the unity of her fellow guards. The two girls who had so warmly greeted them jumped to the orders of their warden and hurried to help Luna. Harry felt for them as he heard Luna barking orders at them, punctuated with the occasional swear word.

Soon they were under the dome, which had been fitted with lamps since they had left to provide light. Ty La lead them into the right hand door of the three doors carved into the mountain face. Harry knew that the left hand door housed the girls and their food storage while the central one was Pyrites' cell, complete with a guard standing outside it, and the right was where the girls could relax, eat and train. It was the only one that led deep into the mountain.

Once inside Ty La lead them down a flight of stone stairs and into a large recreation room. The room had several items of stone furniture with cushions on it, a radio for local programs, a sparing area, oil heaters, and small kitchen. They continued through the area and into an office located to one side. Harry notices as he sat down in front of the stone desk that Ty La had personalized it over the years with books, pictures, awards, and art from Ba Sing Se or Kyoshi Island.

"As you can see we have made a few changes to Avatar Kyoshi's internal structure of the place." Ty La said as she sat down behind her desk and removed her rank headgear. "But we have kept it as close to the original as possible out of respect for her. I know you were briefed on the internal complex before you brought us here but you didn't join us inside last time as you had more important matters to attend too. So again why is the Avatar now at my prison?"

Harry smiled and handed the file over to the bubbly warden. He accepted a cup of tea from one of the other girls who had brought a tray of it into the office for them, along with other snacks for their enjoyment after the long journey from Ba Sing Se. As Ty La read her eyes went wide at the information on the page. When she was done she placed it on her desk and looked at Harry more seriously than he had ever seen the girl look.

"Are you sure that this is the best plan to take down that murderous cunt?" She said her voice serious and not its usual excited tone. "Because this sounds fucking insane."

"Unfortunately we are." Harry said with a heavy sigh. "It's been 5 years since that monster took power in the Fire Nation by force and murdered Iroh, Suki and countless others in her quest for ultimate power. So far no matter what we have tried we haven't been able to stop her. Part of the delay, one that will haunt me for years due to the suffering it has caused, was that we have been cleaning up the shit show that Voldemort left us. The other main reason for taking so long is her military blockade but with the last remnants of the Purist Movement mopped up, the time has come to end her evil regime once and for all and bring the cunt to justice. Alas we can't think of a better plan of than as you so eloquently put it, fucking insane. If the asshole above us cannot help then we'll leave him in your care as planned but if there is a chance we can use him to bring down Hermione then I say we take it given our desperation and the suffering of the people of the Fire Nation. Sometimes one must look to one's enemy and temporarily unite to defeat a common foe."

"Very well, I see your logic." Ty La said looking at the folder one more time. "You seem to have thought of everything and if it means bringing Iroh, Suki and the other Warrior's murderer to justice than I see no reason to stop you, not that I could anyway. Pyrites has been a model prisoner and despite his extremist views he is a survivalist and a pragmatist so he should be of some use. Plus he hates people like Hermione. You say in the paperwork here that we will be given task of guarding Hermione should she be captured alive. Is that true?"

"The Kyoshi Warriors will be given that task, yes." Harry affirmed. "After how you have handled this special supermax prison, the various Heads of State and I feel like the Kyoshi Warriors would make excellent guards for other such specific, single person, prisons. The world leaders agreed with me on this when I suggested it to them. You will retain your title of Warden should you chose too continue to serve as head of the prison. Of course this is all contingent on us capturing the bitch alive and bringing her to the justice she so richly deserves."

"It would be my honor and pleasure to run that prison on behalf of you and the other world leaders." Ty La said with a grin. "Be it here or elsewhere. That cunt deserves to be buried far away from everyone for the rest of her life. We actually she should be swinging at the end of a rope, beheaded or fried in that newfangled electric chair for her crimes but I will settle for life without parole."

"Agreed." Harry said firmly. "Now before we all catch up over diner, Ron's treat by the way."

"Hey! I never volunteered to cook." Ron interrupted when Harry volunteered him to cook for them. "But I will do so as I am a decent cook. It will be very meaty with the exception of Luna's dish of course."

"I would like to go up and speak with Pyrites now while my friends get us settled for the night." Harry continued ignoring Ron's interruption. "I have to propose the deal to him after all. We will spend the night here and then leave in the morning, with or without Pyrites depending on his ability to help up."

"Of course." Ty La said before shouting through the open office door, all the girls here were cleared to here the information so they hadn't bothered to close it. "Girls get in here and find a place for Team Avatar to lay their heads for the night and put the stove on we are having meal cooked for us tonight courtesy of Prince Ronald of the Southern Water Tribe."

Two girls ran into the office looking happy at Ty La's words. Harry recognized one as the stocky earthbender Harry remembered from before who had helped set up the prison as they began to help Ron, Ginny, and Neville with their things. They all got up and left Harry and Ty La alone. Harry rose and took the file containing the proposed deal from Ty's desk before he left with the warden and headed back the way they had come.

"We don't often make fully cooked meals here." Ty explained as they climbed the stairs. "Partly for training purposes, the spartan existence is key to Kyoshi culture and helps build character, but mainly due to what we can and can't preserve here. It is very spartan and utilitarian here, just like at home, and great training for the girls on how to work in extremely hostile conditions. Don't worry though we love this lifestyle and the cold adds an element of unknown as most of us were used to a more temperate climate."

Harry just nodded at the stream of words Ty La was saying only half focused on them as they walked back up to the outside world. He was too focused on dealing with Pyrites again. In short order they were outside again and standing before the solitary cell of the prison.

"I would like to speak to him alone." Harry said. "Don't worry I can handle him by myself, he doesn't have his bending at the moment and we are surrounded by my natural element."

"Oh, we aren't worried about that." Ty said before gesturing the guard to go inside. "It's just protocol. We'll leave you in peace though. Let me know later how it goes."

Harry once again just nodded at the Warden and waited until her and the guard had left to return into the mountain. Luna was still shouting at the two who had greeted them on how to prepare Pandora for bed and Harry knew the harried girls would be there for a while. Turning back to the stone door that housed Pyrites, Harry extended his hand and lowered it slowly back into the earth. The interior was dimly lit by a green glow crystal and all Harry could make out was the outline of a man sitting on the floor his back against the far wall clearly looking at the open door.

"Avatar Harry." Pyrites' voice came from the cell still full of the cocky confidence that Harry had heard the last time the pair had been alone. "Welcome back to my humble abode. Didn't I tell you that we would meet again. What took you so long to turn to me for help with your little problem?"

Harry sighed remembering why he disliked this man so much as he walked forward and entered the cell before earthbending himself in with Pyrites after he crossed the threshold. Pulling up an earth stool from the ground Harry sat down, rested his back against the closed door and studied the former Death Eater sitting in front of him. This was the man who had been so instrumental in bringing down Voldemort's spy network, the blow that allowed the final battle and ultimately their victory to occur.

Pyrites hadn't changed much in the last 5 years. His hair was now past his shoulders and he had a full beard going for him though both were shot with gray now and lank from lack of washing. His skin was white now, no longer the light tan he had once had from living in the Fire Nation. Harry knew that that was from all the years he had spent in this cell and away from heat or sunlight. Pyrites looked skinnier and a little gaunt from the lean rations prisoners received but his eyes still shone with the keen intellect he had become known for. The man was sitting with his back against the far wall, his knees bent and on arm resting on them. His bed shelf that was earthbent into the wall was unmade and Harry knew the man was cold due to the fact that the gray rags he wore over his whole body were only to prevent frostbite and hypothermia. Even with a blanket wrapped around him Harry could see the man's breath and the slight shiver in his skin.

The cold was also useful in that it kept the likely stench of the unwashed man at bay but it didn't stop the staleness Harry could taste in the air. Then again there were only limited holes in the door to allow breathing so the air wasn't often circulated.

"You predicted that I would return to see you." Harry said simply. "How?"

"I have my ways Avatar." The spymaster said with a crooked smile. Harry noticed the his teeth had yellowed a little over his time in captivity but that was probably expected. "I am an information broker and spymaster after all. I always make sure I am well informed on possible future developments around the world but especially in my home nation."

"You knew the Enlightened would launch a coup against the Fire Nation didn't you." Harry said suddenly realizing the truth in his own statement.

It all made sense now, how Pyrites knew that one day Harry would be back and how a situation would arise that only the spymaster could help Harry with. It would have to revolve around the Fire Nation and its inaccessibility and the only force that could have pulled that off was the Enlightened.

"I did foresee their coup though I must admit I did not know when it would occur." Pyrites said still smiling. "Remember Avatar that my business has always been about acquiring and gathering information and how to use it. I knew that the Enlightened were preparing to attack the Fire Nation but I did not know specifics of their resources and honestly they struck a good decade before I expected. Not that I'm complaining mind you as they have allowed me to be freed a lot earlier than anticipated."

"Then tell me how you knew about the coup." Harry said, interested in Pyrites' words despite himself. "I would ask why you didn't tell anyone but I've learned how to understand your motivations and a skunk bear like yourself wouldn't give up something as valuable as that, at least not willingly to the authorities."

"Good, you are learning Avatar." Pyrites said with a smirk. "You are correct, I wouldn't give something this juicy away for free. Besides the only authority I ever recognized was Voldemort's, though now that he is a nonbender I don't need to recognize his authority at all as he is nothing more than a pathetic weakling. Voldemort knew of course but that was it. The Dark Lord just brushed them off as fringe lunatics and weaklings, being nonbenders and mudbloods mainly, that they naturally are but I didn't dismiss them. At least not in the sense that they weren't a threat, to me they weren't a threat, but more that they could be a distraction and later a bargaining chip when if I was caught. There could also be an irritation that we would have to wipe out in the future if I hadn't been caught and we had won."

"Well Voldemort is dead now so why don't you tell me what you know about the Enlightened." Harry said with a cold smile at the former Death Eater. "Then we can see if you are of any use to us and our goals."

"And I haven't been useful in the past Avatar." Pyrites said still smiling. "Or have you forgotten who helped you cripple Voldemort's information network. How I betrayed my master and destroyed my baby all to save my own ass and guaranteed that I would be freed on day. But no matter, I will tell what I know, I've been lonely for the last 5 years in this shithole and in need of stimulating conversation. What better way to stimulate my mind than having the Avatar himself pay me a visit in my mountain top cell. The girls are lovely but they don't offer me stimulation the way you did the last time we spoke. Not in a gay way mind you I ain't no fucking faggot but I do crave some intellectual sparring from time to time and the guards, well all they do is give me my food and a few updates on the state of the world. So Avatar, I propose a quid pro quo. I shall tell you what I know of the Enlightened and how I knew of their plot to kill Iroh and instill that mudblood cunt Hermione as dictator of the Fire Nation. In exchange, you tell me about the status my former comrades in the Death Eater and my former master. You know who's left, who's dead, and what not and of course what happened to the Dark Lord after you stripped him of his bending. Then after we can look at that deal you no doubt brought me for my help, don't think I haven't noticed that file you are carrying and what it likely contains."

"Very well." Harry said, he could play this little game of Pyrites'. He had forgotten how unnerving the intelligent man was, or how eloquent and yet crude he could be. "I'll tell you about what happened 5 years ago to your Death Eater buddies but you talk first. You are right that I have a deal with me, should you accept it then on the way to the Western Air Temple you answer all our questions. We have a few questions to ask regarding your views, how a man like you developed them and the logic behind them cos quite frankly we can't fucking understand these warped views at all."

"Agreed Avatar." Pyrites said with a chuckle. "You do hold the most cards right now and could easily leave me here to rot for another 35 years at least if you want. That being said we both know that I am the only one who could get you into position to take down the mad mudblood cunt who is polluting my homeland. After all, why else would you be here if you didn't need my help. So, Avatar, where shall I start."

"Why don't you start with the Enlightened and add on what you know of their lapdogs, the Chosen." Harry said deciding it was best to see what Pyrites knew about their enemy, any accurate information on them would be useful in Harry's opinion. "Seeing as we know almost jack shit about both organizations. We kinda had our hands full dealing with you fuckers seeing as Voldemort was the immediate global threat to focus on rather than other terrorist groups. Y'all allowed the Enlightened to fuck us."

"Seems fitting that a Death Eater be the one to help bring the bitch down then." Pyrites said. "But you were right to focus on us as we were the bigger threat. We were a global force while the Enlightened were like an itch that could be scratched away when the time came, when compared to the power and reach of Voldemort that is. They were only even able to succeed because of the distractions we cause upon you. Even then they had to attack while the world wasn't looking and strike the only nation that was far enough away from the action to be vulnerable, y'all couldn't counter the coup even if you had known about it. I will give it to them, it was pretty clever but they will never gain more land and have effectively trapped themselves within the Fire Nation. Anyway I shall start at the begging as you wish."

"Always a good place to start." Harry said sarcastically. Pyrites didn't bat an eyelash at that just inhaled deeply in preparation for his speech.

"I first took notice of the Enlightened about 20 years ago, though I suspect they were founded sometime before they came onto my radar." Pyrites began with almost a scholarly tone as he recited the information. "They were nothing more than a fringe group of moronic lunatics that arose as a counter philosophy to our notions of purity and bender supremacy and as a force to oppose the Death Eaters. They preached a philosophy that was the opposite of ours, that all humans were inherently equal regardless of bending status, birth station, nation or bending purity. Kinda to be expected as we were one extreme so natural the other extreme would emerge to oppose us as there is always an equal and opposite reaction when dealing with global balance."

"You don't need to lecture me on balance Pyrites." Harry interrupted. "I am the Avatar, I know that shit like this happens. Just look at the rise and fall of Zaheer and Kuvira, we are seeing that mirrored but in reverse with Voldemort and Hermione. I know that these forces are needed to counter each other while I try and take the middle path to ensure that neither side becomes too powerful and a threat to global balance."

"True you are the Avatar but on this we shall have to disagree as I believe balance can only be achieved by imposing the law of nature." Pyrites said. "And that is the strong ruling over the weak so the benders over the nonbenders. It is only natural."

"I'm not here to get into a philosophical debate over your twisted views Pyrites." Harry said with exasperation. "If I wanted that I would just visit one of the few Death Eaters who are still alive and talk with them. Get back onto topic."

"As you wish, Avatar." Pyrites said with a smirk, clearly enjoying the conversation. "As you said back to the Enlightened and their incorrect views on the world. The Dark Lord knew that their philosophy was a false one for equality is inherently false. As I have pointed out, the strong will always rule the weak. The Enlightened do not see the world this way. They feel that it is the duty of the strong, who in their view the strong were the most intelligent and wisest of the populace, was to rise the weak up to their level, to support them by any means necessary, even if it is at their own expense. They feel that they will achieve this living hell through the redistribution of the hard earned money of the wealthy and other governmental handouts and institutions to the poor, weak and frankly lazy members of society. Now, we both know that in a society where the government gives you what you want there's no incentive to work. That means that you have to force that work out of them and no one wants that shit. The Enlighten feel that the only way to achieve anything is for the state to own and control the means of production, the press, all the institutions so that their way is the only way that is followed, their views are the only ones that are heard. As a result the Enlightened are terrified of private ownership, of competition and of free speech and debate because all of that undermines or contradicts their narrative. Its easier to suppress the masses and indoctrinate them then to allow any form of freedoms. Any who don't do as they say will go to prison or be executed as they are problems to the Enlighten's philosophy. For them, the ends justify the means and that end is a shithole where everyone but the Enlightened and their cronies are on the same level, poor, beaten, subjugated and broken while the architects of this society live like kings."

"Isn't that kinda like what Voldemort and the Death Eaters wanted though." Harry pointed out as Pyrites began to get more and more angry during his rant. Harry was amazed that the man knew so much about the Enlighten's philosophy, especially given that he believed in the Purist philosophy.

"Pretty much but there are a few differences." Pyrites said as he calmed down a little. "However we do believe in a market economy that has some freedoms such as competition so long as it is benders who are doing it, we just have a two caste system between the superior benders and the inferior nonbenders. Sure there are freedoms like free speech that we oppose because we should control what the masses hear. We also aren't opposed to no due process for our enemies just like the Enlightened. I won't lie, we are both totalitarian, authoritarian, philosophies that suppress basic freedoms, have an oligarchic elite and ruled by a single dictator who's word is law. It is why the extremes are different sides of the same coin. We will both do similar things with different reasons and end goals. We aren't very different from one another in a lot of ways, just the Enlightened were considered more acceptable than the Purists, until they ass fucked an entire nation that is."

"Very well." Harry said trying to wrap his head around all this shit. He could do that later, he needed to get back on topic, again. "You should write a book about all this someday but for now get back to explaining the Enlightened to me."

"Good advice, I may just do that if I survive whatever you have planned for me." Pyrites said with a nod as if Harry's idea was a good one. "Perhaps I will even write a multi volume autobiography of my long and rich life. Anyway back to my information on the Enlightened. The Enlightened and by extension the Chosen are as elitist as Voldemort and the Death Eaters are, the only difference is that we prized purity of bending, they prized their so called wisdom, compassion and intelligence as prerequisites for elite status. Like us, the Enlightened sought out the smartest, wealthiest, well connected and most malleable people to indoctrinate into their twisted views. The only difference was that we used wealth and status as a positive and something worth preserving, they targeted those who felt guilty about those things. Also we only worked with benders while they were willing to lower themselves to working with inferior filth."

"Can we try to keep the vitriol out of this." Harry interrupted. He had to listen to Pyrites but that didn't mean he liked what the man said or how he said it. "I respect your right to free speech and will not violate your rights order you to not call nonbenders inferior filth but out of respect to me I ask you to not do that."

"No can do Avatar." Pyrites said with an annoying grin on his face. "Now that I am in the open I will speak my mind at last. I thank you for respecting my rights, it is one of many things that makes you a better person than me but quite frankly I don't give a shit about your sensibilities. I will call a spade a spade or a piece of inferior filth a piece of inferior fucking filth."

"Very well." Harry said with a heavy sigh knowing that he wasn't going to win this one. "And for the record it is not my sensibilities that are offended but my sense of basic human decency. However that is not for the here and now so please continue."

"As you wish oh mighty Avatar." Pyrites said with a hint of playful mocking in his voice. "As I was saying, the Enlightened feel that the actions of the past, people like Voldemort, Amon, Unalaq, Sozin, Ozai, Kuvira, and many more were clear examples of tyrants who oppressed others for their own lust of power and domination. Therefore if it is people like them and their supports who were being oppressed, the whole of society would be a happier and better place. Of course the Enlightened neglects to point out that they have their own lust for power and suppress any who oppose them. The Enlightened believe that if they control everything then the world will be a perfect, prosperous and happy place. However, as mentioned, they do not factor in the need for competition in a thriving society. We did though only among benders, nonbenders are a great warm body workforce for us but nothing more than a source of cheap, renewable, labor. We also believe in complete state control of everything but that is for the good of society by making sure that both groups are separate, that benders are supreme, that purity is maintained and that the people know our truths. Again, though, I have digressed from the fuckers that are the Enlightened and onto my own righteous philosophies. The Enlightened are just as intolerant and bigoted as as we are because they do not accept views that are not inline within their own near religious dogma, it is how we operate as well. Best way to maintain a one party power system is to crush and suppress your opponents after all."

"Alright I get the philosophies of them, no need for more comparisons or descriptions." Harry said stopping Pyrites in the middle of his latest rant. "This has been very informative and more than we already know about their views, though this does confirm our theories on them at least. Who make up the Enlightened? I know very well the kind of assholes, wankers and fuckers who make up the Death Eaters, present company included, but what about the kind of aforementioned assholes, wankers and fuckers join the Enlightened?"

"You are too kind to me with your pretty words Avatar." Pyrites said to Harry's irritation. "But back when the Enlightened were formed they were just a bunch of academics, scholars, and teachers, who were either mudbloods and a nonbender who were trying to justify that they were better than us. Spoiler alert, they aren't."

"Who founded them?" Harry asked, finally getting to the shit he wanted to know.

"The founder or founders are unknown, even to me." Pyrites admitted with a shrug. "But I do know their leadership structure and it is my theory that these 5 are the founders of the Enlightened. There are 5 leaders of the Enlightened and until Hermione revealed that she was also an Enlightened they were the only 5 enlightened I knew about. There is one for each element, all mudbloods, and one inferior nonbender. At the time of my arrest I knew the identities of all but the waterbender or Water Enlightened as he or she is known as. Warren, that bitch you arrested me with, is the Nonbender Enlightened and is supposed to represent the interests of those who are beneath us benders, or at least she was until her arrest she may have been replaced since then I wouldn't know. The Air Enlightened is an old monk and mudblood called Myrtle who used to sit as an Abbess on the Eastern Air Temple Council of Elders but disappeared shortly after Hermione's revelation of the Enlightened and from what I have heard was expelled from the Air Nation for her ties to the group. The Fire Enlightened is the former headmaster of the Royal Firebending School system, the man who replaced Karkaroff after his arrest, a man called Leach. Like all the benders who make up the Enlightened he is a mudblood, though he is also a pedophile, sexual sadist, and serial murderer with a penchant for prepubescent girls. His crimes were either ignored or covered up because he was the first mudblood headmaster and as far as I know they are still not well known. The last Enlightened I know the identity of is Professor Cresswell, and earthbender professor of linguistics and indigenous cultures at Ba Sing Se University and as such he is the Earth Enlightened. Like the others a mudblood and his sexual desires are for both men and women aged between 18-25 that he would seduce from his classes and often drugs and rapes or just guilts them into fucking him because he is such a supporter of equal rights. He has also been known to trade sexual favors for better grades. As you probably know, Cresswell was not the first choice for the Earth Enlightened, that was your mother because she was a woman but she wisely turned them down and married a pureblood, albeit a blood traitor. As such Cresswell was likely approached to join their merry band of terrorists."

"I know that both Cresswell and Leach have disappeared but I don't know why or when." Harry interrupted, he had known that Leach, Myrtle and Cresswell were suspected Enlightened members but the structure of the Enlightened was unknown to Harry until now. "I presume you know more."

"Avatar, always presume I know more." Pyrites said with a little condescension in his voice. "Leach disappeared around the time Hermione and you began at the Elemental Academy after reports of his proclivities began to come out, though the official story is that he retired and moved away from the capital city. Cresswell disappeared around the same time as Myrtle and was fired from Ba Sing Se university when it was discovered he was sexually assaulting students, trading grades for sex, indoctrinating them to oppose the Earth King, and a sympathizer to the Enlightened and a professed member of the Chosen."

"You really have no idea who the waterbender is?" Harry asked genuinely incredulous given Pyrites's skills with acquiring information he should not be allowed to possess.

"I have a few theories of course." Pyrites said with another shrug. "But despite my best efforts I have never found out who the Water Enlightened is but I wouldn't be surprised if he or she is either the overall leader of them or more likely the financial backer. He, or possibly she but my gut tells me he's a man, likely fits a profile similar to the other Enlightened. He will be a talented, at least by mudblood standards, bender, very intelligent and at the forefront of his chosen field, and well a mudblood. Given his ability to stay even off my radar he only interacts with the other members of the Enlightened leadership, he does not publicly state his radical leftist views unlike the others and he likely hides in plain sight in one of the Water Tribes. Given Lucius's noble policy of ensuring that mudbloods were the lowest of the benders as befitted their lack of purity when he was the Chief in the North and the isolationist and hillbilly nature of the Foggy Swamp, I would say that there is a 75% chance that he is of the Southern Water Tribe. I believe that he is one of the youngest Enlightened, roughly around Cresswell's age as Myrtle, Leach, and Warren are much older so it would make sense for 2 of the original Enlightened to be a bit younger so as to carry the cause on when the older ones died. He is also likely the wealthiest one and could be their financial backer. If this is the case expect him to be self made and feels like he owes his wealth to his former economic status. Honestly I am pretty sure that not even Hermione knows who he is though she may have met him when she was made one of the Enlightened. I suspect that if she did meet him then that was the only time they met and she may not have seen his face or heard his name during that meeting."

"They can't be the only Enlightened though if Hermione is one." Harry said still surprised at the apparently limited number of Enlightened.

"Possibly but it probably takes a lot to become a member of the Enlightened." Pyrites said. "However I am unsure how that selection process is other than that they have to be intelligent and committed wholeheartedly to their cause. For all we know the Enlightened could be the 5 founding members and Hermione, we might never know their full membership as the location of their base is unknown and a closely guarded secret. However I believe that it is only the 6 of them and that Hermione is more of a malleable puppet than an actually fellow Enlightened to the 5 originals. She is someone whom they can use for their own goals as they likely believe themselves to be above all else. If she is then she will turn on them soon if she hasn't already."

"How do you know all this?" Harry asked. He knew that Pyrites was skilled at acquiring information but this seemed like a stretch even for him.

"I was a politician and businessman remember." Pyrites said. "And a spymaster for Voldemort. As such I was always keeping my ear open for news on possible threats. When one of my many sources tipped me off to the Enlightened, believing me to be sympathetic to the anti-Voldemort movement, I began to investigate. It didn't take long for Warren, a law professor at the time, to approach me to see if I would be a pureblood ally for the nonbenders of the Fire Nation. I pretended to agree and that was when she tried to get me to join as a sympathizer to the Enlightened. I backed off telling her of my neutral stance on the issue but she kept trying to persuade me right up until my arrest. However, because they were a threat and they intrigued me I made sure to cultivate the right contacts within Warren's circle. It was through them that I learned what I did and who the various members were. I tried in vain to find out who the Water Enlightened was because I really like information and it bugs me to not know something but alas I couldn't. While the other 4 all talked of their far left views, making them prime suspects that I could investigate and later confirm my theories, the few mudblood waterbenders who were far left were not associated with the Enlightened, though they were all Chosen. Over the years as the Enlightened grew from a bunch of fringe lunatics into a potential enemy I placed a higher priority on information about them despite the Dark Lord's dismissal of them. That was how I was able to predict that they would strike and that you would need my help to defeat them. The details like the blockade or that they would use the Battle of the Elemental Academy as cover were things I couldn't predict but they all worked out well for me in the end."

"Ok well that explains the Enlightened but what about the Chosen?" Harry asked after taking in Pyrites explanation. It made sense so Harry didn't bother questioning anymore of it and decided to move onto the other group that he wanted more information on before he offered Pyrites the deal and they entered the Fire Nation. "I know that they have to be first generation benders and were founded by Leach, or maybe by the Enlightened as a whole, and that they believe themselves to be Chosen by the spirits to have bending. However, that is about it as there is scant information on them. A few stayed at the Academy after Hermione tried to kill me but they didn't provide much other than that they thought that Hermione was just talking a good game though we know from truth seers that they were lying about being members. The RCPD, they conducted the investigation, decided to let them stay so that they could be watched. A few are planning shit in the ISEK but most seem to have gone back to the Fire Nation to be near Hermione."

"Correct to a point." Pyrites said nodding slightly. "A Chosen as Leach and the other Enlightened call them is simply a mudblood, whether or not they accept the made up title, but yes they do believe that their bending is a gift from the spirits when we both know that's complete and utter bullshit. Bending comes from one's parents but it can manifest in a child of nonbenders as well, it is just an accidental manifestation and that is all. Yes some mudbloods have gone on to be some of the best benders of all time, even I can admit that mudbloods like Toph, Katara, Mako and Bolin helped revolutionize bending as we know it. However, these mudbloods are few and far between, most skilled benders are at least halfblood like the Dark Lord or pureblood like yours truly."

"So how are they recruited then?" Harry asked. "If any first generation bender is a Chosen in the eyes of the Enlightened, how do they actually get these people to join. My mother is a first gen bender and I know a few others who weren't swayed by the Enlightened's rhetoric."

"Alas, part of the reason why so many joined the Chosen were because of us." Pyrites said shaking his head slightly. "Foolish though they were for joining with the Enlightened. We believe that the proper place for mudbloods in the bending hierarchy is at the bottom, just above nonbenders. For some strange reason many mudbloods refused to accept their rightful place in society and joined the Chosen because the Enlightened lied to them about their skills and place in society. That ties into the other reason why mudbloods joined the Chosen; the teachings of the Enlightened. You see, the Chosen are also taught that because they gained their bending not by inheritance but are instead chosen by the spirits that they are inherently the best benders in the world. This is a very seductive message to these young and easily manipulated people. Join the Chosen and be seen as the elites of society because of their birth, or serve Voldemort as the lowest of the bender classifications. You can see why many would be swayed by this. We actually used a similar tactic but to attract purebloods, other than shit like benders' rights that we were losing because of the progressive and falsely equal nature of society. Our message was that the best benders where benders whose blood was purest while those who were impure, who's parents were nothing more than nonbenders were the worst kind of benders. It's just another example of us and the Enlightened playing off each other for each's own gain, such is the nature of extremist movements is a rapidly polarizing society."

"Interesting." Harry said thinking on Pyrites words. The man did have a point on how over the last quarter century or so the polarization between the Purists and the Enlightened had led to both groups growing rapidly due to the presence of the other.

"However we both know that talent comes from birth and training not the spirits." Pyrites continued, and Harry had to grudgingly agree with the man that one's inherent skill in bending comes from how powerful their affinity was at birth, especially if one was born with the ability to harness one of the rarer subbending skills, and that training always helped.

"Yes some mudbloods have been talented but so have many purebloods and halfbloods." Pyrites added. "For fucks sake Voldemort, Amon, and Tarrlok, three of the most talented bloodbenders of all time are all halfbloods. The whole notion of being the best because they are mudbloods was created by the Enlightened, it was the brainchild of Leach though, in order to attract bodies to enforce their evil views. As I have said, we did the same with the Purists. That's basically the Chosen in a nutshell so enough about them, it's your turn Avatar. Tell me about the final battle and the fate of the Death Eaters who fought in it."

"Very well." Harry said taking a moment to parse all that Pyrites had just told him. "I have one final question though before I answer any of yours; how did you know they would attack while our backs were turned?"

"Because they are cowards, pure and simple." Pyrites said. "The Enlightened and their pet Chosen were always going to strike at some point but they would only do so when they were certain that they would win. The best way to do that was to attack the nation farthest removed from Voldemort while the rest of the world was focused on the bigger threat that he posed to them. Voldemort is from the Foggy Swamp, via the Earth Kingdom, and he always believed that the key to power is Republic City and as such focused his efforts there. That is why the Enlightened chose the Fire Nation, it was the largest nation that was farthest from the primary conflict that the you and the rest of the world leaders were involved in. Hence why the Enlightened launched their coup while y'all were distracted in the United Republic, it was the perfect opportunity to strike while your back was turned and seize a whole nation that was at peace at the time. The Fire Nation is also a series of islands so it was easier to defend and hold, that is why Hermione has barricaded herself in her nation. As with any extremist group, the Enlightened need to control a nation in order to legitimize their views and show the world how right they think they are, which likely will only backfire on them. They also know that they can't keep the Fire Nation unless they have a large military presence that is loyal to Hermione to prevent the rest of the world invading and removing Hermione from her illegitimate rule. Then they can force their own twisted views on equality and balance on the citizens who they have subjugated, while their allies in the other nations prepare for their own coups that will bring the other nations under the yoke of Hermione's tyranny. The Fire Nation was the weakest nation to begin with as Izumi kept us neutral, drastically cut down the size of our once glorious military, and caused the world to shift focus onto the United Republic and the Earth Kingdom as the two central places of power. All of that made my homeland the prime target for the Enlightened's first conquest, and why Voldemort dismissed it until he had control of the United Republic, the ISEK and the Water Tribes. After I was arrested I knew that no matter who won the final battle the Enlightened would launch a coup while the world was focused elsewhere. Of course I wasn't expecting the final battle to happen for a long time but it seems y'all put my baby to good and swift use. Because I knew all this, the Enlightened served as a good reason for me to prepare for a possible future where you won and I was in prison, all I needed to make sure I was useful to you should I be captured and/or Voldemort fell to you. This way I have something to use to gain my freedom from this shithole cos 5 years in here is more than enough for me, but less than I was expecting."

"I see, well you were right about the freedom chance but we will get to that in a bit." Harry said after he had digested the last chunk of information from Pyrites. "What do you want to know? I presume you know the raids were successful, and yes we acted on the information as swiftly as possible and that allowed us to end Voldemort much faster than expected. If you were wondering, we caught or killed 82% of the people in your ledgers during the raids. The remaining 18% escaped but they have all since been tracked down with the very last, Peter, being caught 6 months ago. Now we have no excuse to ignore the threat Hermione is to her own people or the threat she poses to the whole world and to balance."

"How many of my fellow Death Eaters are still alive?" Pyrites asked and Harry could hear the curiosity and hunger for information in the man's voice. "Other than Peter who I never really saw as a Death Eater, more a pathetic loser who joined the strongest side and offered all he could to survive."

"Other than you and Peter there are 8 remaining alive." Harry said as he recalled to few Death Eaters who still lived. "One, Regulus, was cleared of all charges when he was found and told us all he knew in exchange for immunity. Regulus was also a low level Death Eater with few crimes attributed to him, the big one he was supposed to commit had actually caused him to defect. Regulus went on to serve in the finally battle and caught Nott for us, broke the Death Eater's nose in that duel."

"Oh shit, Regulus is still alive." Pyrites said genuinely shocked. "I knew that fucker was a coward, even advised the Dark Lord not to use him for that false flag bombing mission but Voldemort felt that it was a good test. Honestly the man was so minor in the Death Eaters, only earning the Dark Mark because of his position and father, that I put little effort into finding him. I presumed he had fled at some point between getting the bomb and landing in Fire Fountain City but while I had sources looking for him I didn't try to hard. What did happen to him?"

"He ended up as a homeless man in King Bumi Park in Omashu." Harry answered. "Didn't bend for 12 years while there. I saw his picture as a known defected Death Eater and recognized him. I had his brother find him and Regulus agreed to flip. He had renounced his Purist beliefs after 15 years traveling first as a poor healer and later as a homeless nonbender. Now he is a teacher in the Water House and the Crown Prince of the Northern Water Tribe until Sirius gets married and has an heir."

"Good for him in avoiding detection, prison and death." Pyrites said impressed. "What about the other survivors?"

"Lucius was arrested by Chief Arthur after Arthur defeated the former Chief of the Northern Water Tribe, Lucius only suffered a concussion in the fight." Harry said as he remembered the details of the Battle of the Elemental Academy, details he would never forget. "Alecto was arrested before the start of the battle when she was knocked out by Luna in the administration tower where she had been lying in wait for us. I killed her brother shortly afterwards by sending Amycus out of the tower thanks to a large stone, ironically the airbender fell to his death. Rookwood was badly injured by Ron and Ginny when he tried to flee from them after almost killing their brother Fred but he survived his wounds and was arrested after the battle. Rookwood will walk with a limp for the rest of his life due to taking a throwing knife to his left knee, as well as one to his left hand and right ass cheek, though given that he is in a small cell buried in an ice sheet his walking is limited. Then the last 3 were Goyle, Crabbe, and Jugson who I incapacitate with a couple of rock pillars after I stripped Voldemort of his bending. While Lucius' son Draco is considered a Death Eater because he bears the Dark Mark, Draco only received a 10 year sentence to be served in the Catacombs Prison Complex for the few crimes he committed and in exchange for his testimony against other Purist students. Thanks to Draco's testimony, some like Goyle's son received long prison sentence for their crimes during Voldemort's brief control of the United Republic and Elemental Academy. In addition the Unified Triad boss Scabior was wounded and caught by Neville and is serving his life sentence with Rookwood and Crabbe in the White Lotus Firebending Supermax Prison. The other Death Eaters and senior Purists perished in the fight."

"How did they die?" Pyrites asked with a hint of savage glee that unnerved Harry slightly, it was a side of Pyrites he had never seen before. "I've been bored shitless here, I could use a few gory details of how my former comrades died at the hands of their enemies."

"Lets see Yaxley took two ice spikes to the side in an X formation courtesy of Chief Sirius." Harry said trying to remember how the others had perished. "Avery was reduced to pulp by several rock spikes by me. My mother caused Travers's armor to bend inwards into his body in a series of metal spikes that he was not expecting while my father sent a knife through Rowle's skull. Luna killed Selwyn with her Oxygen Vortex, Dolohov fell to his death after being blasted into one of the Air House towers by Filius and breaking his shoulder. Mulciber was hit in the side of the head by a bolt of lightning from Neville. Neville also took down Rabastan and Rodolphus, the former by striking him in his metal chest plate with a platinum lightning rod, the force of which lodged Rabastan into the wall, the latter he cut in half at the waist. Then I also killed Macnair by sending lave into his crotch and decapitating that evil and fucked up executioner. As for the noted purists who were either broken out of prison or already served Voldemort also died. However, it was only the ones who participated in the battle, Umbridge was caught and is in prison and that airbending assassin Insomnus fled before the battle and hasn't been seen since but from what we have gathered he was never a Purist, only following Voldemort because Voldemort freed him and as such fled as soon as he could. As for the deaths of the notable escapees; Dao Ma was sent head first from about 50 feet up into the stones of the Air House by Luna, the Sanguinus twins were killed by Ron, the dude with a throwing knife to the chest and the girl with a throwing axe to the skull. I stabbed Kuvira and Bellus Gero to death in the same part of the Academy and Thicknesse was killed by Prince Percy with an ice spike to the throat. Oh and Molly, Arthur's wife, killed Bellatrix with three ice spikes, one to her gut, one to the chest and one taking a chunk out of her neck."

"Interesting." Pyrites said stroking his beard at the deaths of his former comrades in arms as if analyzing how they had died. "I knew that they would fail as soon as you caught me, my information and presence was so important that it crippled Voldemort and allowed you to win, course you could have won without me but I was the catalyst for the destruction of everything I believed it. Still that battle was spectacular, a shame I was not part of it. It has been years since I truly fought for my life and I miss the thrill of battle but the life of a spymaster is about secrets and shadows, not blades and battles. I am curious as to why you decided to strip Voldemort of his bending though. Why didn't you just kill him?"

"I felt like it was the most fitting punishment for a man who based his whole philosophy and identity around his ability to bend." Harry said with a shrug. "Korra taught me energybending when I connected with her in the Spirit World. Then, when I became a fully realized Avatar and entered the Avatar State for the first time I had Voldemort at my mercy but unlike Voldemort I couldn't kill in cold blood, especially when the man was already encased in earth and helpless against me. Besides it was more demoralizing to the Purist Movement to make Voldemort into what he hated the most, what he felt was inferior to him, than to grant him death."

"I admire and respect your choice of punishment." Pyrites said with a nod. "Killing Voldemort in cold blood would have martyred him and rallied more to our cause but by taking away his bending, the thing he loved above all else, you made it clear that anyone could become an inferior nonbender. That would have crushed the will of the Purists to fight and completely undermined our philosophy in those with a shaky or fragile belief in it, I am still an avowed Purist and will be until the day I die. What did you do with Voldemort after you humiliated and defeated him?"

"Put him in Zaheer's first prison." Harry said calmly. "It is an isolated, single cell, supermax prison that is in an unknown location. There were calls to execute him but in the end it was decided to uphold the life without parole sentence he got when tried and convicted in absentia. This was because it was seen as a greater punishment for Voldemort to spend the rest of his days there without his bending than to grant him the sweet release of death."

"A fitting punishment that ensured no one would ever rise again to take his place lest they suffer the same fate." Pyrites said. "I see now that the Purist Movement is well and truly dead and I can come to terms with that. There will always be true believers like me but as an actual threat to the world, we are not. You mentioned Voldemort has since died, how?"

"He basically went into a catatonic state after he lost his bending." Harry said remembering the dead look in Voldemort's red, catlike, eyes when he had slammed the door of his prison in the man's face 5 years ago. "From what I have heard, Voldemort never spoke again. Not once while he was incarcerated did he say a word. He would listen to orders and move but the man that the world knew and feared as Voldemort died the moment I took his bending. In his place was a simple nonbender called Tom Riddle who was serving a life sentence for the many atrocities he committed, a number that is still unknown to us. A little over a year ago Voldemort just stopped eating and began to waste away in his cell, his mind gone, his cause destroyed, and himself forsaken by those who once called him master. 10 months ago Voldemort was found dead in his cell, the cause is unknown but it is believed to be a combination of self induced starvation and a loss of the will to live. We cremated his body before scattering it to the winds outside his cell so that no memorial or shrine could be made to him."

"You utterly destroyed him by removing his bending from him." Pyrites said with a serious look on his face. "It was what he believed made him the strongest being in the world because he could bloodbend at will and you just took it away from him as if it was nothing."

"Energybending isn't exactly easy." Harry interjected. "It is a bitch to use and control. If my will had been any weaker, Voldemort's evil energy would have overwhelmed and destroyed me and ended the Avatar Cycle once and for all. It took all my augmented strength while in the Avatar State to accomplish the feat."

"I do not doubt that energybending is a hard skill to use for the Avatar." Pyrites said. "But it still worked and that is the key thing here. Voldemort wasn't psychologically stable enough to survive the lost of bending. For a man like Voldemort who's entire life revolved around the strength of his bending and what he could do to others with it, losing it would have broken him and destroyed his scared mind. To lose one's bending, a part of one's very soul, would be a traumatic and damaging experience that only the strongest willed people would be able to survive, though only 3 people have ever permanently lost the ability so I wouldn't know much about the psychology of it. I am also not sure about the countless people who lost their bending courtesy of that traitor Amon and how that effected them but I know that that process can be reversed. Anyway, I'm honestly surprised he lived for 6 months after you stripped him of his bending let alone 4 years in an isolated prison. Very well Avatar you have answered my questions and I have answered yours so let me see that file you have brought with you. I can tell it will contain the deal you intend to make me for my services and the expectations of my aid."

Harry just threw the file at Pyrites who deftly caught it without shifting his position against the wall. Harry had had enough of talking with Pyrites, it had been an interesting and frankly disturbing conversation but Harry doubted that it would be the last he had with the former spymaster. For now though, he just wanted to know if the man would help them or not. Pyrites made a point of slowly and deliberately reading the file that Harry had prepared for him. When the man was done he closed it and slid it across the floor and back to Harry.

"I accept all the conditions you and the other world leaders put on me in exchange for my aid, I would have expected no less than something like this to be used to control a man of my exceptional talents." Pyrites said with a smirk after Harry had picked up the file. "My desire for freedom and to spend decades more of my life outside of this balls freezing icebox is great enough for me to accept all that you ask of me. I have just the way to get us into the Fire Nation. I prepared it about 28 years ago just in case of a scenario like the blockade that you face right now. Don't worry I periodically checked to make sure everything was working so it should all be good. It is advantageous that we are traveling with 3 master waterbenders as my plan to smuggle you in requires at least 2 skilled waterbenders, something that I would have had to find should I have ever needed to do this before. You are also correct in assuming that I have my own network there to aid me and me alone. I created and grew it around the time I created the network for Voldemort as a back up should I ever need to hide from Voldemort, or the forces loyal to the Avatar should I be discovered and be able to flee before capture, though if Voldemort was still active it would have been the same thing. The network should still be active, if a little rusty and I suspect several will have already been killed or sent to slave labor camps under Hermione but I doubt the ones who are still alive and active will be willing to aid a mad bitch like Hermione. Now the most important question of the day; when do we leave this fucking shithole?"

"Tomorrow morning after you and I have signed this deal to make it official." Harry said rising, pushing the stool back into the earth before turning and earthbending the door open. "So sleep well Pyrites, we fly to the Western Air Temple in the morning."

Harry didn't wait for an answer he walked out of Pyrites's cell and earthbent the door back into place as soon as he was outside the small cell. Once outside Harry sighed, breathing in the cold, crisp, air. He had done it, though Harry had had little doubt that he wouldn't be able to make a deal with the resourceful former Death Eater. Pyrites was like Ron in many ways, only guided by very different, more sinister, principles, his contingency plans had contingency plans so it was little wonder that Pyrites had something for a situation like this. Harry turned to head back into the mountain and tell his friends the good news. They had their potential way into the Fire Nation, albeit relying on a former Death Eater who was possibly the most untrustworthy man alive, and now they finally have a shot at taking out Hermione and ending her reign of terror once and for all.

 **Sorry this chapter is so long, the conversation between Harry and Pyrites ran on a bit but it is a useful conversation in how it says a lot about Pyrites and how he thinks. Next chapter will involve more Pyrites explaining his history and beliefs. As Pyrites will be an important character in this Book he is someone who needs to be understood as much as possible, especially because a lot of who he is is made up by me (though the character himself is drawn from the Harry Potter wiki and was created by Rowling many years ago). He is the first of several future characters (including 2 villains) who have scant information on them but are created by Rowling and who I have used and expanded upon for this series. Anyway that's enough rambling, next week's chapter will be released on time as always and keep letting me know what you think in reviews. As always any questions in reviews and PMs will be answered at the start of next week's chapter while anything constructive will be listened too. Until next week.**

 **Stringdog**


	5. Chapter 5

**Here is the fifth chapter in Book 2. I am sorry that it is a little later than planned, my only excuse is a busy work week preventing me from making my final edits in time. Two things to note here; first is that the bulk of this chapter was originally planned to be in Book 1 during the chapter that Harry transported Pyrites to his private prison but it was postponed due to length issues. As a result it was slotted into Book 2 and honestly this chapter was a better place for it. Second, just a brief update on later projects in this series. I am currently about 25% of the way through the rough draft for Book 4, have finally storyboarded Book 5 (likely will be longer than the storyboard but the plot is there) and have the storyboard for the first two spinoffs, those being the standalone Regulus spinoff coming out in February 2019 and the first part in a special trilogy of spinoffs set to begin uploads in February 2020. Pyrites will get his own spinoff series at some point but that is a longways down the pipeline for now. Anyway enough rambling, sit back and enjoy the latest installment in Avatar: The Tale of Harry. Book 2: Equality.**

 ** ** **Disclaimer: As always I own nothing related to either of these two great works of fiction.******

 **Chapter 5**

The next morning Team Avatar woke on the floor of the recreation room. They had all slept there the night before as the few sleeping quarters that the mountain possessed were occupied by the Kyoshi Warriors and Harry had refused Ty La's and 4 of her Warriors offers to give them their beds for the night. Harry knew that they would have to get used to sleeping rough once they reached the Fire Nation so it was best to start now.

After Harry's talk with Pyrites, he relayed it too and broke it down with his friends. They all agreed that while they couldn't trust the former Death Eater, they could at least trust the man's desire for freedom and is inherent desire for self preservation. As such they would be able to use that to get into the Fire Nation and hopefully have a shot at taking down Hermione. After the discussion they had a nice meal with the Warriors, sparred a little with them as none had exercised all day, and chatted a little before calling it a night. Now it was time to get ready, grab Pyrites, and undertake the long flight to the Western Air Temple.

"Here is the transfer of custody paperwork signed by me." Ty La said walking out of her office and up to Team Avatar while they were packing up their sleeping materials. "I just got confirmation from the garrison commander in Ba Sing Se for the transfer, as well as our recall back to the city."

"So what will y'all do now?" Ginny asked.

"Pack this place up and seal it tight just in case it is ever needed again." Ty La said. "Then we head back to Ba Sing Se take a nice vacation there in the fashion district and the dojos before we either head back to Kyoshi Island or are transferred to one of our garrisons, be it in Ba Sing Se, Republic City or elsewhere in the world."

"I actually have a request to make of you Ty La." Harry said. He had thought about this the night before and felt that the bubbly girl would be up to it.

"Anything Avatar." Ty said happily. "A personal request from the Avatar is a high honor in deed."

"Yes well I would like you, and the girls here if possible as they are all cleared and trusted by the World Leaders, to scourer the world looking for a new prison location." Harry said before elaborating upon seeing Ty's confused look at his request. "As the Avatar I expect to encounter many global enemies over the coming years and while most subordinates can be housed in the various White Lotus Supermax Prisons or places like the Catacombs or the Boiling Rock, the leaders will need to be separated and isolated from everyone."

"A wise move Harry." Ron interjected. "Best keep them away and disorientate any potential rescue attempts by those who have evaded capture or who wish to restore the leaders to power."

"That was my reasoning behind it." Harry said with a nod. "What I'm looking for Ty is a place like this. Somewhere where bending, should they be a bender, can be neutralized, where they can be isolated from the world so as to not infect it again and a place that is sufficiently inhospitable that it would inherently prevent an escape or a covert rescue attempt. Use this or the White Lotus Supermax Prisons as a template for what I am looking for."

"That can be done Avatar." Ty La said smiling. "It will be a fun mission that my superiors will sign off on as it serves the Avatar and the world, as well as keeping my team together thus preserving the cohesion we have developed over the last 5 years. I assume that these special prisons will be manned by the Kyoshi Warriors."

"For the most part they will be." Harry confirmed. "However we both know that your order isn't the largest so should I run into a lot more assholes than I predict who are hell-bent on world domination, killing me, and/or oppression and tyranny I will have to turn to the White Lotus as well to staff the prisons, should they be built. This place here will be good for Hermione should she keep her bending as it is known to inhibit firebending but if I am forced to strip it from her the way I did with Voldemort then a different place may be better. Preferably a nice deep hole somewhere where we can throw her and forget about her for the rest of our lives. Providing she is caught alive of course."

"It will be done Avatar Harry." Ty said coming to attention and bowing formally to him. "We will make sure that there is a place to bury that murderous, psychotic cunt somewhere where she can never hurt another living soul again."

"Good, well now that that's settled lets go grab a different asshole from upstairs." Harry said. "And use him to take down the current holder of the world's biggest murderous asshole award shall we."

Ty La nodded and kart wheeled off to the stairs. Harry and his friends roll their eyes at the strange, happy warden who ran the prison and just walked normally after her. Some of the other girls came and helped them with their bags. Once they were back outside Luna and Ginny helped the girls go load up a well rested Pandora and prepare the bison for her long flight. The flight would take almost a day and while the bison could do it she needed to be rested for the journey.

Harry, Ron and Neville all stood facing the cell, all taking a combat stance just in case Pyrites tried anything when the door was opened. At a nod from Ty La the burly earthbending Kyoshi warrior opened the cell door. Pyrites had clearly been expecting them and was already standing behind it grinning for all to see.

"Ah the sun I have missed your warm rays these past few years." The spymaster said as he walked out of the cell and extended his arms so that Ty La could slap a pair of platinum cuffs on him, binding his wrists together before she produced a platinum waist chain and ankle shackles and completed the full restraints required for all prisoners classified as high profile and maximum security, a required classification for any of the Death Eaters that were captured alive. "Though it's still cold enough up here to freeze the balls off an Arctic Camel and I still can't see the sun yet. You would think after 5 years I'd be used to the cold but alas no. I am a man from a warm climate so the cold will always bother me. It will be good to firebend again in a week's time."

Harry walked forward, ignoring Pyrites' words, and lifted his right pant's leg. Pulling out the ankle monitor that had been developed specifically for this purpose he attached it to the man's lower leg, just above the ankle cuff. Once it was locked snuggle in place he stepped back and took the receiver from Neville who had pulled it out of his bag as soon as Pyrites had been fully restrained.

"Pyrites you are officially being transferred from the custody of the Kyoshi Warriors to that of Avatar Harry." Ty La said passing the form over to Ron to make the transfer official. "What he does with you is his business. Girls let's leave we have to pack up."

As soon as the girls had left Pyrites shuffled forward as best he could in the full restraints and stood in front of Harry as if they were old friends.

"Well let's get moving." Pyrites said still smiling. "I need to get off this accursed mountain and back to my home. We have a cancer to remove."

"One sec I need to make sure this device works as intended." Harry replied with a smile as he pressed a button on the receiver. Pyrites gave a yelp of surprise and pain as he received a shock from the monitor attached to him.

"I'd say Varrick did a good job with that." Ron said as he and Neville moved to stand behind Pyrites and escort the prisoner forward.

"He did, works like a charm." Harry agreed. "Pyrites this device is centered on me right now and means that you cannot go a certain distance from me lest you be shocked but ever few minutes for being out of range. You are right though, I want to get to the Western Air Temple as soon as possible so let's get moving."

"Avatar, soon you will learn that I am always right." Pyrites said with supreme arrogance.

Harry once again ignored Pyrites as they walked down the ice corridor that had been created several years ago and to the now fully loaded Pandora. Luna and Ginny were already on board the bison with Luna on the head and Ginny waiting for them in the saddle.

"So how am I supposed to get on that thing." Pyrites asked as he clinked the chains that bound him and severely limited his mobility. "Kinda fully restrained here."

"Her name is Pandora." Luna called from her position as Pandora grumbled loudly at being called a thing. "And she doesn't appreciate your attitude."

"I apologize." Pyrites said without a hint of sincerity.

Harry just stomped his foot lightly and launched the startled man into the air towards the saddle with a very ladylike shriek from Pyrites. While Harry knew he had applied the right amount of force to get the man onto the saddle without a problem, he saw Pyrites slam into a wall of air Luna had just created and fall onto the center of the saddle with a thud and clink of metal. Laughing Harry airbent himself into the saddle and looked down at the bound man.

"A useful life tip." Harry said. "Never piss of a woman or her bison."

"Noted." Pyrites grumbled as he rolled around and sat up before shifting to the side as Ron and Neville joined them in the saddle.

"Yip yip." Luna called to Pandora once everyone was safely in the saddle and with a slight grown the bison took off and began to head east.

Soon they were over the western ocean and making good progress despite Pandora being fully loaded It would take the next 18 hours to reach the Western Air Temple. Harry hadn't told the temple's Council of Elders that he was en route, Milo had assured him they wouldn't care though Harry didn't trust the slightly mischievous Archabbot and had made sure that they had the proper paperwork to present the Head Abbot just in case. As it was a clandestine mission they shouldn't bother telling them anyway, with the exception of the Head Abbot.

"So you said that y'all had some more questions for me." Pyrites said breaking the silence after a few minutes of clearly enjoying the wind and sun on his face. "Seeing as we likely have several hours to kill and I know y'all don't trust me and rightfully so, I should at least try to build some rapport with y'all so I will answer any questions that you want to ask me truthfully. I am sure the Avatar told you of our talk yesterday so stick to personal stuff, I do like talking about myself as it is my favorite topic."

"Why don't you tell us your life story." Harry said deciding it was the best way to get all they needed to know about Pyrites out of him and kill a few hours. "We could use a good story for the journey and you clearly enjoy the sound of your own voice. Once you are done we will ask any questions we may have, or we will interrupt during if there are any pressing questions that we may have about something you have said."

"You are right I do enjoy my own silky voice." Pyrites said with a cocky grin. "It is what got me so far in my chosen career after all. Very well Avatar, I shall regale you with my tale and why I did what I did. I should warn you it is a long, rich and scintillating story that will one day furnish many best selling volumes so I shall just give you a brief overview for now. A full story of my life and the many accomplishments I have achieved would take weeks to tell as I am just that amazing."

"We got about 17 hours." Harry said gesturing to the expanse of sky and ocean around them and internally groaning at Pyrites' narcissism. "We got plenty of time."

"True alright then sit back and enjoy the epic tale of Pyrites, abridged for this bison flight." The spymaster said with a grin. "As y'all know I am from Fire Nation nobility and despite the loss of my title I still consider myself part of the aristocracy. I was born 50 years ago in the upscale mansions of Royal Caldera City to two firebenders. My father, Lord Argo, was the head of the household and as his male heir I was to continue the long line of males in my family. As moderate conservatives, our family had been one of the 100 noble families that Zuko had designated for the Fire Assembly as my ancestors had not supported the Firelords in the 100 years war, or at least had not openly opposed it. Since then we have passed that seat from father to son until my arrest."

"Lord Argo was your father?" Neville interpreted and Harry could hear the surprise in his friend's voice. "My mother spoke highly of him. I didn't realize that you were his son, you really are very different from him as Gran was always very complementary of his views and business, whatever it was."

"Yes Lord Argo was my father and the best thing he taught me was that in order to be liked one had to be successful and moderate." Pyrites answered. "As for what he did, he was a noted chemist, alchemist and scientist who, despite being a gifted firebender, had devoted his life to the creation of new potions for all uses and purposes regardless of bending abilities, a weakness I did not share for I knew that bending equaled power. He was also seeking to recreate alleged potions of the past that had been lost to time. My father grew his business, as well as other family assets, into a global empire and his potions were some of the most sought after in all the nations. Even today an original Argo Formula can sell for thousands as that have been discontinued due to me shifting the focus of the business years ago."

"What happened to him?" Harry asked. He was curious as if Argo had been such a decent man, how had his son become a Purist.

"Alas when I was 12, my father died in an accident when one of the potions he was creating became unstable and blew up, killing him and an entire factory of his workers." Pyrites said with no sadness whatsoever, which disturbed Harry a bit. At least it explained why his father wasn't around to prevent Pyrites from walking down the path that had led the man to this very moment.

"My mother died of a broken heart a few years later as he was the love of her life." Pyrites continued as if it was nothing. Harry just assumed that it had been almost 40 years ago so Pyrites had come to terms with it since then.

"I take it you didn't follow in your father's footsteps then?" Ron asked as he idly sharpened a knife. Harry was impressed that his best friend was multitasking while on the back of a flying bison.

"Correct, I never shared my father's passion for science but I did inherit the family businesses when he died." Pyrites said. "And I grew them as soon as I was of age to take control of them. However, they would only serve as my cover for my true passion and activities but more on that later, we still have my formative years to go through."

"The period where you were radicalized I presume." Ron said.

"Once again correct, Prince Ron." Pyrites said with a nod. "Someday we should we should trade wits but not now, I am telling the greatest tale of all time right now. Anyway, from an early age I showed the ability to firebend and as such was enrolled in the Royal Firebending School in the Capital City. Despite the fact that it was run by the blood traitor Albus, it was still an exclusive school reserved only for firebenders, even if commoners were allowed in to mix with the nobility. Looking back I would say that that was where I first began to realize that I was better than others, as you astutely pointed out Ron."

Ron just harrumphed at Pyrites words and the former Death Eater just plowed on, not carrying about Ron's indignation.

"I was rich because of my father, a gifted firebender at the finest school in the art in the world at that time and I was part of the nobility." Pyrites continued with a note of pride in his voice. "All this bread a superiority complex into me that my parents didn't know about and would die before they could find out and try to remove it from me. It was my time at that school that shaped me into the man that I am today. You see, it was, and still is, a boarding school and I quickly fell in with an interesting crowd of boys who had views a little more extreme than mine were at the time. We are talking about people like Rookwood, Karkaroff, Crabbe, Rosier and Wilkes, all future Death Eaters who I personally recruited into the fold, though they never knew it was me who did so. You see we were all nobles, all firebenders and all very rich. We knew that we were better than' everyone else and we made sure to let each other know that. It was what the left would call an echo chamber. We fed off each other and realized that the money, power, and bending purity were the most important things in the world. It was a good time as it was right as the Purist Movement was beginning in the shadows and we were at the right age to eat that shit up and become die hard believers for life."

"But you must have broken away from them at some point." Harry interrupted. "When we interviewed Rookwood, he acknowledged that he once knew you but that you had never been a Purist back then. He claimed to have been shocked when he learned you were a Death Eater."

"I was as much a Purist back then as I am now but I hid it well and it was so long ago that my fellow firebending Death Eaters wouldn't remember it." Pyrites said with a shrug. "The reason being was that I was unlike the others, except possibly Rookwood, in the fact that I was charming, popular, well liked and devilishly handsome. They were my core friends growing up as we had socialized before going to school but I had others and from the age of 11 I knew that in order to fit in one had to act and be as society expected. That was what I had learned from seeing how my father interacted in comparison to say Rosier's father who constantly challenged anyone to an Agni Kai, or Crabbe's father who brutally abused nonbenders openly did. Sure I knew that I was better than the commoners and the filthy nonbenders but I wasn't dumb enough to show it publicly. No I needed them because they had access to things that I did not have access too or would not want to have access too given my position. I built a reputation over my 7 years at the school as being kid one could go to if he or she needed anything dubious like booze, porn, or even soft core drugs. I was also the person to see if one wanted to know something they shouldn't know, I had access to everything in that school. I got the taste for information, secrecy and back alley dealings and I was hooked, over time information would become my drug and my mistress and it all stems from my school days."

"I assume you weren't caught doing anything against the rules." Ginny said as she cuddled with Harry listening to Pyrites self-aggrandizing.

"Well it didn't hurt that unlike my friends I actually mastered the fine art of temperature control with my firebending." Pyrites said with a smirk. "The others preferred to fuel their firebending with anger so that they could create large flames and hot infernos. It was impressive but all they wanted to do was just burn shit to the fucking grounds. I, on the other hand, realized that control was key to firebending and I learned how to master that control so precisely that I could create fire so cool it would barely burn or so hot it burned white, not even Azula could create fire that hot. However, unlike the insane princess my natural fire is orange and it takes a lot of effort to create blue, let alone white, flames. Anyway, by the time I graduated I was one of the best in the nation at being able to moderate and control my flames. This control would later help me in my life as well as it allowed me maintain the control I needed to deal with the weak, inferior and stupid people I had to deal with on a routine basis, as well as gather the information I needed for Lord Voldemort. Information I started to gather as soon as I took my seat on the Fire Assembly, a few years before I met the future Dark Lord."

"How old did you have to be to take your seat?" Neville asked. "Cos I think it changed recently and I am not sure if you were one of the ones who could ascend at 16 instead of 17 as it is now."

"It was 16 back when I was eligible to formally take my family's seat on the Assembly." Pyrites answered. "And I used it slowly built a network of contacts I could persuade, bully, blackmail or exploit to accomplish whatever I needed to accomplish, be it for myself or the Dark Lord. I never showed my true beliefs the way Crabbe or Rosier or Wilkes did while they were part of the Assemble. No, I was just a decent guy who could throw a great, lavish, party and be friendly with everyone no matter their correct or incorrect views. I used these parties and my natural charm and charisma to forge connections with all the factions of the Assembly while building a long list of information on all my fellow Assemblymen. At the same time as I was climbing the political ranks of the Fire Nation elite, I was using my family's business to gain connections all over the Fire Nation in the lower social circles so that by the time I was 18 I had a network all over the nation and at all levels of Fire Nation society"

"Did you do anything with this information?" Harry asked. Information seemed to be Pyrites' currency so it only made sense that he would use it when he got it.

"At first not really." Pyrites admitted with a slightly sour look on his face. "I was rarely able to use the massive amounts of information I had as Iroh would have suspected something if people started to act oddly. It was useful though and I wanted to be able to use it to influence the world towards where it should be, I just had to bide my time and use what I had slowly so as to not arouse suspicion"

"Do I even want to ask what you wanted the world to be." Neville said.

"Well naturally I wanted benders on top and nonbenders in their rightful place beneath us." Pyrites answered with a grin. "It is the natural order of the universe after all. Alas, that was when I realized that the Fire Nation was too much under the thumb of the Firelord and the philosophies of Zuko. I had to branch out and at the age of 18 I decided to travel the world, in luxury of course. I had already appointed loyal contacts I had made through the Assembly to my businesses in Ba Sing Se, the Water Tribes, Republic City, Omashu, and many more cities around the world. What was better was that all my appointees had orders to build a network of contacts of their own, under me of course. I wanted everyone possible for my global network of information from the lowest piece of scum to the highest politician. I didn't care if they were benders or not, legit or not, all that mattered was that they pass the information they had to my subordinates who would in turn pass it onto me. They all thought it was for business purposes of course, you know shit like find out what the market wanted, pass favorable regulations that sort of stuff. I will admit that at first it was just that as it helped give me an edge and grow my vast fortune even more but I always had bigger plans for the information. Remember the world runs on information and whoever possesses the most useful information has the upper hand, no matter what the issue is."

"What caused your change of focus?" Ron asked putting the knife away and pulling out a bag of nuts to snack on. "Something must have happened while you were traveling that caused you to shift towards the bastard we know now rather than just another scumbag businessman."

"As always very astute Prince Ron." Pyrites said taking no offense at Ron's words. "Something did happen when I was traveling that changed everything foll it was while traveling that I met Voldemort. I had heard of him from my days at school of course, I was well educated in the state of the world from a young age. My former buddies had always spoken reverently about someday joining Voldemort's noble crusade, joining the famed Knights of Walpurgis and bringing about our just cause to ensure purity and bender supremacy. Voldemort just put it in a way that made it even more justifiable to those on the fence by associating purity with the heart of the ethos of our world and the reason why we have an Avatar, balance. For us, and I will believe this until the day I die at the hands of a beautiful and yet deadly and very pissed off woman, the world could only be balanced if the strong rule and the weak serve. Remember, the strong take what they can, the weak suffer what they must. We are strong because of our bending while the nonbenders are weak because they have to rely on technology just to be our equals in power. To me this proved that equality was a myth. Humans are inherently unequal, why force something that is not natural to our species but alas most of the world do not see the wisdom that we do. Voldemort on the other hand, now there was a true visionary. When I first met him in Gaoling he was still using his common name, Tom Riddle, though those who knew his true goals called him by his proper name, we called him Lord Voldemort or the Dark Lord out of respect to his power and majesty. You have to realize Avatar that I was a young, impressionable 18 year old that already held similar views and here was a gifted, older, highly intelligent, bloodbender telling me I was right. It was oh so seductive. I was hooked from the get go."

"You fell for the charm of Tom Riddle?" Harry asked amazed. "Even with your own so called high level of charm?"

"Even I can admit when I am beaten." Pyrites admitted honestly. "And back then Voldemort was a charming and convincing man who easily brought me into his fold. He was a leader and a visionary in a field I was unfamiliar with. I had always worked best from the shadows, from the background, I was the unseen force, the grand puppet master who pulled the strings of the world and when I pulled the world danced to my tune and Voldemort knew this, he and he alone could see the potential I possessed and it was Voldemort who unlocked that potential. He had heard of my network through some of his own contacts though only because of my pureblood and my business power, not because of the intel I had gather. It was for those reasons that Voldemort sought me out while I was in Gaoling and not the other way around. We spoke privately and I didn't need to be threatened, bribed, bullied or blackmailed, I joined his cause at once. I offered my services and the budding spy network I had to him and Voldemort accepted me with open arms. He immediately knew I would become his most important follower and bloodbent his Dark Mark into my arm, a mark I still wear with pride. However, Voldemort knew the scope of my work and agreed that of all his Knights, I was to remain totally anonymous to all but the Dark Lord so as to protect the network I had created and maintain my position in high society without any suspicion or loss of rank. All this was in the year the Academy was founded by Korra and the Dark Lord was rejected from his rightful position as Head of the Water House for he remains to this day the greatest waterbender ever born. Two years later I provided him with enough knowledge to launch his first strike and kick of the Purity War that would rage on and off for 25 years. It was I who had provided the information that allowed Voldemort to come out of the shadows and make an attempt on Korra's life. It would have worked too and ensured that we won the war at the very start but the ambush was thwarted by Tenzin, though it cost the old airbender his life at the hands of Voldemort in the process. It was from that point on we were his Death Eaters."

"So what did you do during the First Purity War?" Harry asked when he realized that Pyrites had finally paused from his long rant to request a drink. Ginny obliged by waterbending her water skin water into his face. "Because you were not on anyone's radar until the day before your capture."

"Thanks for that Princess Ginevra." Pyrites mumbled as he spat water. "Though I must admit I have tasted a lot worse out in the Foggy Swamp. To answer your question Avatar, during the 11 years of the First Purity War I kept up the facade of a moderate and sensible conservative businessman who was a humble noble from the Fire Nation. In reality though, I was building a network so vast that it was unimaginable. No one before me, nor will anyone after me, successfully create such an information empire as I did during my lifetime. Almost all of Voldemort's successes during both Purity Wars were because of me. It was because of my information that we were slowly turning the tide of the First Purity War in our favor. It was a war of attrition that I knew we would win in the years to come because we had the world by the balls and were slowly squeezing them until we would eventually crush their balls to dust. Unfortunately, that was great but then Voldemort got greedy. We had been successful for years but with Korra still alive and in shape, despite being 70 years old at the time, we still had to wait a decade at least before we could truly crush our enemies, take control and make the world a better place for benders. I told Voldemort personally during one of our many one on ones that we weren't ready, I was pretty forceful as well as I knew I was right as always. Of course, the Dark Lord disagreed and violently bloodbent me as punishment for my insolence but didn't kill me like he would any other Death Eater because I was still too useful to him at that time. Anyway, Voldemort felt that he was powerful enough and had enough support to begin his endgame so he launched his first full frontal attack on Republic City in hopes of killing Korra and taking control of the city, thus shifting the scales irrevocably in our favor. Had it gone as planned I predict that we would have conquered the Earth Kingdom where the next Avatar would be born within 5 years thus allowing us to raise the Avatar right and use his or her power for true balance. After that, the Fire and Air Nations would have fallen before the decade was out. However, as you know, the attack was both a success and a failure. While Korra did die from her wounds and the war ended temporarily, Voldemort was wounded and too weakened from his draw with Korra to continue the war. He needed time to recover and we needed time to regroup, strategize, plan and ensure that when we returned we would be unstoppable this time."

"What did you do after Korra's death?" Neville asked. "And in the years between the wars."

"At first I was by my master's side to provide him with vital information while he was healed by Bellatrix and Narcissa." Pyrites said. "Of course I was only present after his healing sessions when no one else was around. Let me tell you this, Voldemort's wounds were bad. The only reason he survived was because of his won prodigious skill at bloodbending. Voldemort bloodbent himself to keep his blood inside and flowing long enough to be stabilized by his loyal followers. I cannot imagine the pain or strength of mind it would have taken to do that but he managed it. Once his initial healing was over and it was clear that Voldemort would live but would take years to recover fully, we agreed that it would be best to lie low until the next Avatar was found and convince him or her to join our noble cause. When I wasn't searching for the next Avatar, I spent those 14 years building up my network of Purists, allies, dupes, and paid informants. I personally sought out Scabior and together we slaughtered all his competitors and ensured that he would unify the triads. Scabior never saw my face or knew me as anymore than a standard Death Eater but it was because of me that he was able to create his huge criminal empire. I did this to incorporate the criminal underworld into my own network and to use it to further my own network through extortion, blackmail, bribery, corruption, and violence. They also provided a whole new force to the army and a useful way to recruit Purists and thugs for our army."

"I assume that is not all that you were charged with doing during the years of peace we had following Korra's death." Ron said.

"I was also charged with using my network to try and keep an eye out for the new Avatar but alas even with Peter as one of our spies there was just no sign until you were at the Academy and by that point it was too late." Pyrites said looking intently at Harry. "I had hoped to find you early the way they did Korra, but it took too long to manifest in you and we were too late by the time you were discovered. Besides, I knew that as soon as it was announced that you were the Avatar, Harry, that you would never see the world the way we did, your parents were to blinded by their own views on equality, despite your father's pureblood, to realize our noble and righteous cause. Your parents were members of the Order of the Phoenix and as such fought against us the first time. This made them blood traitors but I also knew them and knew the power that you would inherit from them would be great, and that was just the earthbending. That was why I knew the plan to kidnap you would fail and make our enemies realize that Voldemort was still alive. The only good that came of the failed attempt to kidnap you was that it allowed us to plan the assaults on the prisons."

"Why did you wait to attack the prisons?" Harry asked. "You knew that there were already Death Eaters in them, why wait for more to arrive?"

"Because we weren't strong enough and attacking the prisons would tip our hand earlier than we wanted." Pyrites said. "But with the arrests we knew that we would have to act soon as you were already aware that Voldemort was on the return because of the failed kidnapping attempt. We still needed more time to finalize the planes but soon we were ready to free our brethren, as well as other wrongfully imprisoned benders who could swell the ranks of our army. As you know, I personally aided the Dark Lord in the assault on the White Lotus Firebending Supermax Prison as I could warm them up right away due to my control of fire. It also allowed me to protect my identity by being by my master's side during the mission, the one mission guaranteed to succeed. However as it was I who provided the information from my contacts within the White Lotus we were guaranteed to succeed in all of the prison breaks, even if we had a few injuries and one near fatality when Wilkes took a few metal shards to his body. Then it was a matter of time before we had the power to take the United Republic, this time successfully. I was against the announcements after the prison breaks but Voldemort and Lucius had a sense for grandeur that I will never have. We knew that the 4 states that seceded would follow suit once Lucius officially pledged his support to the Dark Lord. With them on board we bided our time and waited."

"I always wondered why you waited a few months before launching your attack on the United Republic." Harry said. "Why did you wait 2 months before launching your coup and the attempted invasion of the Southern Water Tribe?"

"Simple, we had to make sure everyone was in place to ensure victory." Pyrites said bluntly. "We waited and maneuvered the forces we needed into the Spirit World and Republic City Therefore, when the time was right, and the moon was full, we used Thicknesse and Umbridge to strike the United Republic government and take it in a swift, surgical action. As for the Southern Water Tribe, you caught Lucius unawares down there and routed him but that was not my planning so it is understandable that we failed there. The blow that loss caused us was one of the reasons, along with my betrayal, that led to Voldemort's eventual defeat. In addition to the taking of the United Republic and the Southern Water Tribe, we also wanted to kill Albus and secure the Elemental Academy as it would fuck the Order over. Plus it would allow us the chance to try and capture you. I volunteered for that part of mission because as a Death Eater I was sworn to serve Voldemort and had to be involved somehow so by aiding at the Academy I could keep my identity from being revealed as I would be away from any major battle. I was under orders to flee if I couldn't fight and win due to the sensitive information I possessed. I was the only Death Eater with orders to not fight to the death for the Dark Lord. Of course, Voldemort wasn't pleased that you escaped his clutches again but he was ok with me avoiding capture and sent me back to the Fire Nation with orders to use my contacts from a safe distance to find you so that he could capture you and hold you captive until he had achieved victory. I must admit I was very surprised to see you in that meeting and had it not been for Iroh's orders keeping us in the palace I would have tried to let Voldemort know where you were and likely capture you myself if I found the opportunity, which is lucky for that I didn't as I would have killed Ginny while capturing you. I honestly was expecting you to reappear in Ba Sing Se, Omashu, or possibly Zaofu after a few months on the run, not Royal Caldera City one week after you killed Wilkes in front of me. That failure to predict your movements was the biggest mistake I made and yet it turned out great for me in the end, even if it led to the destruction of Voldemort and the Purist Movement but my ass is still safe so that's all that matters."

"Putting that aside as it is in the past and we have to work together." Harry said trying to do his best to ignore the nonchalant way Pyrites had spoken about killing his fiance in her sleep just to capture him. "I have to know; what was going through your mind the next day when Iroh called that second meeting?"

"As soon as the second meeting was called and the doors were locked after we entered without our staffs I knew that even if I had not been revealed then Iroh, Moody or one of you suspected someone on the Assembly of being a Death Eater despite the fact that all known or suspected Death Eaters on the Assembly had already been removed." Pyrites said simply. "How did you come to suspect one of us? I never did ask that during my interrogation. Answer that later, I still need to finish answering your question first. Once the doors were locked and the loyalty rest announce I knew that I was royally fucked in the ass. I may be a professional liar but not even I can fool a truth seer, that is a talent only Azula or anyone delude enough to believe their own bullshit like Hermione is can accomplish. With my true loyalty about to be exposed and my impending arrest all but inevitable as there was no way I could fight off 20 Kyoshi Warriors, Team Avatar, General Moody and the Avatar himself, regardless of my martial skills which are impressive if I do say so myself, I formulated a plan to save my own ass at the expense of my very believes while I waited. When the time came, in true showman fashion I waited until the very last member of the Assembly, I calmly surrendered as I was never fanatical enough to die for Voldemort. That is basically the overview of my life up to this very point in time. We will never agree on what true balance is but I understand that what Hermione and the Enlightened are doing is even worse than what you are doing to balance and as such must be stopped. If the price for my freedom is aiding my former enemies once again, followed by confinement to the Fire Nation and never engaging in Purist acts again for the rest of my life, all to take the world's worst mudblood out, then so be it. My soul was always for sale to the highest bidder and right now you, Avatar Harry, have out bidden the world. Also, anything is better than freezing my boys off in that prison cell and I have been hoping for a quiet retirement for a while so that is something to look forward to if we survive this mission. Feel free to ask any other questions you have now while you can, after you have answered my earlier question first."

Harry and his friends took several moments to compose themselves once Pyrites was done with his life's story. The man had never shown much emotion other than passion for his beliefs in his tale and Harry had little doubt that most of it was true. They had all been talking nearly nonstop for 2 hours now and the conversation had explained a lot about what type of person Pyrites was. The man had always held these views but had the self control to avoid being public about them. It was clear that this control, coupled with his intellect was what had made Pyrites into such a useful tool for Voldemort during the Purity Wars. It was no wonder Harry's first great enemy hadn't wanted Pyrites to be caught alive given all the information Pyrites possessed and usefulness to Voldemort. Pyrites wasn't wrong when he claimed to be the catalyst for their victory, without Pyrites' betrayal they might still be at war with Voldemort rather than bringing peace to most of the world, all that was left was to restore peace and balance to the Fire Nation. Composing himself, Harry began to think over the tale for anymore questions he might have while preparing to answer Pyrites recent question to him.

"To answer the one question you posed me, it was your gloves and cultured voice that gave you away." Harry said enjoying the memory of how he had uncovered Pyrites' true nature. "I remember from your arrest that you knew you were fucked from the start. However you were fucked the moment you spoke and I heard your voice, it was so similar to the one I had heard fleeing the Academy that I was immediately suspicious. However, it it was those fine white silk gloves you wore both at the meeting and the Academy, along with your sophisticated accent, that made me pretty sure that you were the mysterious Death Eater who had used the rain and his firebending to escape from the Academy rather than fight and die like Wilkes had done. I wasn't certain that you were the Death Eater who had escaped but I was as positive as I could be and Iroh agreed to test all of the Academy for the Dark Mark at my request. The truth seeing part was his idea and a way to confirm who was and who was not loyal to him on the Assembly."

"Fucked by my own vanity, sophistication, and exquisite fashion sense." Pyrites said with a rueful smile. "Though that move at the Academy was impressive, even by my standards as it is not easy producing fire that cool that the rain will almost instantly extinguish it and provide me with the cover I needed to make my escape. I knew something like my particular taste in fashion would be my downfall but those gloves are one of my favorite luxuries, made from the finest hand extracted silk of the rarest spiders from the Spirit World. There is nothing like them both in comfort and expense. Very well any other questions that I may answer for y'all now?"

"I have one." Neville said. "What happened between you and your future Death Eater buddies from your school days. Karkaroff never identified you nor were you ever suspected of being a Purist so how did you manage to sever those ties?"

"I seem to have left that out but it wasn't really relevant I felt." Pyrites replied as Harry tried to remember if Pyrites had stated what had happened to his childhood friends. "To answer your question though I deliberately severed ties with them during my last year at school and we began to mingle with other kids for the first time. I realized that other than Rookwood, who could keep a low profile hence why I made sure he had the job in Republic City that allowed him access to research our enemies were doing that even I couldn't access, they were blunt about their views and it wasn't making them popular with anyone else and marked them as something bad. I knew that they weren't bad views but I realized that, even at the age of 11, few wanted to associate with the extremes so I went my own way at school so as to hide my views better, as a result we lost contact and grew apart, though I helped them from the shadows as best I could. I did provide Rookwood, Rosier, and Wilkes with the information of Karkaroff's treasonous act in identifying them, though why Karkaroff never named Crabbe still eludes me, and even secretly aided their flights from the shadows, However, I could no longer associate with them while I was at school. They were all know Purists who would become know benders first extremists and I felt that it would be better for me to keep my true views hidden so as to be more useful in the long run, which it turned out I was. You see, I always play the long game as you can probably tell. When they finally asked during our second year why I was distancing myself from them, I just told them that I had been foolish in my early days and that I saw that what they believed was wrong and left them behind. I never spoke to them again unless it was from behind a mask or on official business in the Assembly. It killed me inside to lie about my views and pretend to believe in wrong philosophies but I knew that it was all for the greater good. Until I was caught that is and the greater good became my own survival and not helping Voldemort achieve his goals."

"Interesting and warped but I can see your twisted logic." Ron said. "As you pointed out, you were likely the reason behind much of Voldemort's success."

"Likely? I was the sole reason that Voldemort was so successful at all." Pyrites said with pride and arrogance in his voice. "Without me Voldemort would still be engaged in a shadow war with Korra, scrambling for information and only really controlling the Northern Water Tribe. That is if he survived a prolonged 30 year war without my aid at keeping him one step ahead of a powerful Avatar who knew how to fight a bloodbender of Voldemort's caliber. Remember, it was my info brought him down to the ground and allowed y'all to defeat him, proving how valuable I was to Voldemort and that he placed too much faith in one person that wasn't himself."

"Modest much." Ron said with a chuckle at the clear understatement. Harry had never met a person less modest than Pyrites, except maybe Voldemort or Hermione. "Very well I have question. Did you ever research Voldemort? As much as it kills me to admit it, you are a little like me in the sense that you like to be well informed about everything and everyone around you so it seems odd that you wouldn't make sure that the man who you would serve was worthy of your service. You strike me as one who doesn't serve lightly."

"I don't serve lightly." Pyrites agreed seriously. "I am not a submissive person. I ain't one of those beta male cucks who follow Hermione or the boot lickers who followed Voldemort just for the few crumbs of power he gave them. In fact, Voldemort is the only one who I have ever called master and meant it but in answer to your question I did research him, as much as I could. I probably found out a lot more about him than even Voldemort knew and this was all before I pledged my loyalty to him."

"What can you tell us about Voldemort's?" Harry asked interested in more of Voldemort's backstory. "Korra showed me her first meeting with him when he was a boy at an orphanage in the Earth Kingdom and his failure to get the position he wanted when the Academy was founded but that is about it. We know he is the son of a swampbender called Merope and a minor nonbending Earth Kingdom noble called Tom Riddle, that he had an uncle called Morfin and that he was educated in the Northern Water Tribe but that is all we know. Korra and Albus theorized that Voldemort was related to Yakone because of the bloodbending he displayed but could never prove it."

"Oh he is related to Yakone alright." Pyrites confirmed. "The former crime lord's grandson as a matter of fact. Other than the fact that Voldemort bragged to me about it himself, I had already confirmed it when I was researching Tom Riddle Jr. during my time traveling the globe. From what I discovered while in the backwoods of the Foggy Swamp, after Yakone was broken out of prison and had his appearance altered he assumed the name Marvolo and fled into the Swamp. There he met a woman and fucked her, either it was a consensual fling or he raped her, that I couldn't figure out and honestly I don't particular care about the details of a long forgotten criminal's sex life. Whatever the case, the sex resulted in a pregnancy. That pregnancy produced a set of twins called Morfin and Merope but Yakone returned to the Northern Water Tribe shortly after their birth and assumed a new name and a quiet life until Amon and Tarrlok were born. I was able to confirm all this from multiple sources deep within the swamp though I wasn't fully convinced that the yokels there were telling the truth until after I learned that Voldemort could bloodbend without the full moon and do so purely with his mind. Other skilled waterbenders can bloodbend without the full moon but they will always encounter residence from their opponents and never truly be able to do what Yakone's line could do. The rest you seem to know but I can confirm Voldemort's heritage."

"Very well there will be more questions in the future but for now I think we are all tired of this subject." Harry said. "And of hearing your voice."

"Now that is something no one can get tired of, Avatar." Pyrites said with his usual annoying smirk.

"We should strategize for when we get to the Fire Nation now that we have Pyrites here." Ron said changing the subject. "This may be the best time we have to strategize without risking being overheard."

"Not now, wait until we get to my emergency stash that I intend to use to get us past the blockade you told me about." Pyrites countered then elaborated for them when Harry looked at him in confusion. "As I said I have planned for something similar to this in which I would have to sneak into the Fire Nation undetected. Admittedly this is not the precise situation I envisioned but it will do. Everything we need is on an uninhabited island off the western coast of the Fire Nation that just so happens to be in international waters and should be outside of the blockade. If not then I will figure something else out but I know the island is in international waters and if Hermione had any sense, something I doubt, she would try to keep the blockade within Fire Nation waters so that it is manageable. As there is absolutely zero strategic use for the island, no one has ever built on it and so I have, over the years, prepared it as an emergency storage place for various pieces of equipment, supplies, cash, and documents that I may someday need to use if I was forced to go on the run It is one of several that I have all over the world but it is the only one with the equipment that we need to get into the Fire Nation undetected. We can plan there but for now I would like to enjoy the feeling of warmth returning to my body for the first time in half a decade, even if I cannot bend for a week still. I need to enjoy the sun and freedom that I can almost taste."

With that Pyrites closed his eyes and appeared to have fallen asleep whole resting his head on the side of the saddle. Harry didn't doubt he was listening and decided to refrain from talking about anything sensitive just yet given the fact that they couldn't trust Pyrites. They had spent the last 3 or so hours talking and listening to Pyrites and they needed a break from the man's narcissistic god complex and cold bluntness. Harry decided to take the next turn on Pandora's head to clear his head and think on what Pyrites had told them, before he too took a nap in the saddle while cuddling with his fiance. When he woke they were about 4 hours from the Western Air Temple. They spent the last few hours talking about nothing serious and eating a light, cold, meal from their travel provisions.

Finally, well after the sun had set Harry could see an island in the distance. As they drew closer he could just make out a large, wide and deep canyon in the middle of the island. Harry didn't need Luna's confirmation to know that it was the canyon that held her home. They had reached the Western Air Temple and were one step closer to their ultimate destination, the Fire Nation.

 **Sorry this chapter is so long and so late in being uploaded, the latter of which I do not intend to happen again if I can avoid it. The reason for the length (the largest edit of a single chapter to date based on words added to total in the rough draft) was that I had to break up Pyrites' speak into more manageable chunks and that ended up adding a lot of words and time to the edits. I have already explained why it was so late, something I should have a handle on for now. The only thing to note in this chapter is that Argo is based of a Pottermore character called Argo Pyrites who is a potion maker and might be related to Pyrites, therefore I made it so in the chapter. That's all for this chapter, the next one will be Harry's first trip to an Air Temple that isn't Air Temple Island. Anyways,** ** **keep letting me know what you think in reviews and as always any questions in reviews and PMs will be answered at the start of next week's chapter while anything constructive will be listened too. Until next week.****

 ** **Stringdog****


	6. Chapter 6

**Here is the 6th chapter in Book 2, back at the right upload time. There is nothing new to add or address here so sit back and enjoy the latest instalment in Avatar: The Tale of Harry. Book 2: Equality.**

 **Disclaimer: As always I own nothing related to either of these two great works of fiction.**

 **Chapter 6**

Luna took over the steering of Pandora from Neville as they neared the canyon that housed the hanging Western Air Temple. When the temple itself came into view Harry felt his jaw drop at the magnificent sight before him. The upside down pagodas and towers of the hanging temple were breathtakingly beautiful. Harry just marveled at it as they flew into the canyon and wonder how on earth they had actually managed to build the temple. Harry came to the conclusion that it was wither build by earthbenders or painstakingly carved out of the cliff by the old Air Nomads, the latter of which would have likely taken centuries.

Harry knew that the Western Air Temple was the largest of the 5 temples and also the only temple that wasn't built either on top of a mountain or had a tower based design. Regardless, it was still it was a sight to behold. Harry could feel the air flowing in the natural wind tunnel the canyon made and knew at once why the temple was here. The wind currents here were perfect for the ancient Air Nomads and it was the perfect secluded and nearly inaccessible location that the Air Nomads had favored millennia ago.

Passing a large statue of Avatar Yangchen Harry could see airbenders gliding between the towers on glider staffs or with glider suits while bison flew around them. All the while Luna was easily guiding Pandora to the central hall of the temple where visitors to the Western Air Temple were supposed to arrive and be greeted. Bison weren't usually allowed there but given the passengers Luna didn't seem to care and she was likely enjoying flaunting the rules if Harry knew Luna.

As soon as Pandora landed Harry made sure he had the right paperwork on him before he deftly leapt from the bison onto the floor of the hall, using his airbending to cushion his landing. He knew from his academic studies that he was standing where Aang had once camped out towards the end of the 100 year war and though he could not connect to that past life, he felt a comfort standing where Aang had once stood. Despite being night time. several airbenders and Air Acolytes were still up and hurrying over to see who the sudden intruder was or wonder why an Earth Kingdom native had just leapt into their temple with a small display of airbending at a very late hour.

"I am the Avatar." Harry called out causing even more of a buzz than he already had by jumping into the heart of the Western Air Temple. "I wish to speak to the Head Abbot of the Western Air Temple Council of Elders. I am here on official business and have documents proving so. One of my friends is one of your sister airbenders from this very temple."

"I am Abbot Daw, the Head Abbot of the Western Air Temple Council of Elders." An old voice said causing the crowd to part so that Harry could see the person who had spoken.

Harry saw the crowd back away in reverence and now their heads to a venerable bald man with a small white mustache and the grey arrow tattoos of a master airbender. He was wearing the formal orange robes of a master along with the red cape that denoted him as a member of one of the Councils of Elders, the governing councils of the Air Temples. Around his neck was a wooden pendent with the symbol of the Air Nation carved into it and resting on his chest. Luna had told him that only the Head Abbot or Abbess of an Air Temple, along with the Archabbot, could wear such a pendant. Despite this, it took a moment for the name to sink in.

"Daw?" Harry asked surprised as his Air Nation history lessons came back to him. "As in the second airbender to be discovered with the talent after Harmonic Convergence restored airbending to the world and one of the earliest recruits to the new Air Nation."

"The very same Avatar Harry." The man said as he slowly approached. "The heads of the 5 councils are all from the recruits who helped form the new Air Nation formed Harmonic Convergence. Myself here, Guru Jinora on Air Temple Island, Abbot Otaku in the east, Abbot Ryu in the south and Abbot Yung in the north even if we are still rebuilding that temple. There aren't many of us left though so soon it will be time to pass the responsibilities onto the first new generation of airbenders in over 200 years."

"I know that the Air Nation has always used the advice of elders to govern and guide it." Harry said offering Daw a respectful bow in the traditional Ari Nomad fashion. "I apologize for such an unannounced intrusion into your temple but as I said, I am here on official business. Me and my friends will only be here for a few days while Luna's bison recovers from the long journey we just made and we prepare for the next step of our mission. I have orders to you from Archabbot Milo regarding my mission and they are for your eyes only. Please read an memorize them as I am under orders to destroy them once you have finished reading them."

"Very well." Daw said taking the orders that Harry had pulled out of his pocked and handed to the old airbender. Daw didn't break the seal as soon as he got the orders, instead he raised his head and addressed the gathered crowd. "Don't you guys have something to do? We have a temple to run here."

The large crowd that had gathered suddenly dispersed at the order from the leader of their temple, murmuring about the sudden arrival of the Avatar to their temple. The rest of Team Avatar had begun to unload Pandora so that Luna could take her bison to the stables and give her a well deserved rest after the long flight.

The unloading included Ron and Neville unceremoniously throwing the still full restrained Pyrites down to be caught by a group of startled Air Acolytes who had run over to help with the unloading. The disgruntled former Death Eater swore loudly as he and two Air Acolytes crashed to the floor before more Acolytes helped Pyrites to his feet and awkwardly left him standing there, not sure what to do with an apparent prisoner in the heart of their temple.

While this was happening Daw had opened the orders and was perusing them intently. Harry knew that Milo had instructed Daw to aid the Avatar in whatever Harry needed and that Team Avatar would be official guests of the Air Nation for a few days, as would a convicted Death Eater, before they left for an undisclosed location on a classified mission. It directed Daw to find a suitable cell for Pyrites and rooms for Harry and his friends, as well as to make sure that Harry's arrival be treated as a rest stop on a mission to clean out a nearby pirate nest that the Death Eater knew about.

"I see." Daw said after he had read it and handed it back to Harry who promptly incinerated it. "Why the Death Eater may I ask."

"He has been helpful to us in the past." Harry said as the Acolytes began to transport the bags to the visitors quarters that the temple had without needing to be ordered to do so. All Air Temples had such quarters for the more nomadic members of the Air Nation so Harry knew that they would be comfortable, if spartan, while at the temple. "He was the one who provided the information that lead to the global raids that crippled Voldemort's spy network. We need his expertise on a mission once again so we have been forced to make a deal with him in exchange for his complete cooperation."

"Ah so this is the infamous spymaster of the Death Eaters." Daw said as Ron and Neville led a shuffling Pyrites to them. Luna had taken her bison off to the stables and then planned to go and find her father while Ginny had gone with the Acolytes to make sure everything was safe and sorted out for them.

"The one and only Abbot Daw." Pyrites said with a smile that caused the old Abbot to raise an eyebrow at the spymaster knowing his name. "As much as I would like to talk I am still technically a prisoner so could you please show me to my temporary cell here, I've been full restrained for the last 20 hours or so and would like to get them off as they are starting to chafe my perfect skin."

"Of course this way." Daw said as he turned and led them into the heart of the Western Air Temple. "We don't exactly have cells here, the only Air Nation cells are located in the Eastern Air Temple, but we can put you in a single room with no windows and the Avatar can then use earthbending to seal you in. It will have a sleeping mat, chamber pot, sink, desk, lamp and stool but that is about it."

"Anything is better than the last room I called home." Pyrites said as they continued to walk deeper into the temple.

In short order they came to the visitors section and Daw found an appropriate room with all the amenities that he had listed. As soon as Pyrites was across the threshold he stopped and Ron produced a platinum key while Harry and Neville took combat stances. First Ron removed the ankle shackles, then Pyrites turned around and Ron unlocked the chain around the man's waist before finally removing the handcuffs and freeing Pyrites of all restraints. Stepping back further into the room so as to be out of the doorway Harry earthbent a slab up from the floor before opening a small slot at the bottom so as to serve the former spymaster food and provide a hole for airflow. The entire time Pyrites hadn't spoken but he did have a smile on his face and Harry knew that was because the man was one step closer to his impending freedom, with restrictions.

"Thank you Abbot Daw." Harry said turning to the venerable man. "If you don't mind we would like to rest as it is late. If you can have a simple meal sent to Pyrites as he hasn't eaten much today and we do have to feed him. Tomorrow we intend to see Master Xenophilius as he is Luna's father and prepare some more for our upcoming mission. We will only encroach upon your hospitality for a few days at most."

"This is the Air Nation, Avatar, there is no encroachment on our hospitality for you and your friends." Daw said with a smile. "You are always welcome in the Western Air Temple. I hope that you return before my time to transcend into the Spirit World comes but as a guest and not for a brief layover."

"I will try." Harry said bowing to Daw before the old man walked away to return to his duties as Head Abbot.

Harry, Ron, and Neville turned and went to find the others and their rooms for the next few days. It had been a long day and they needed to get some rest. They would refresh themselves and their supplies here while they prepared their disguises before they went to the island that Pyrites had spoken off to see the former spymaster's plan to get them into the Fire Nation. Finding their rooms, they all had a single room as the Air Nation didn't let unmarried couples stay in the same room together and Harry was going to respect their host's culture, they turned in for the night without another word.

* * *

The next morning Harry and his friends had gathered in the communal dining hall in the Western Air Temple for breakfast. They were all sitting at a low wooden table eating a simple meal of fresh fruit, nuts, and eggs. Ron was grumbling about the lack of meat but what could they expect given the fact that they were in the Air Nation and the temples stuck to the strict vegetarian diet of the Air Nomads. Only Luna was missing as she had spent the night in her own room in the temple's female quarter. Harry heard the sounds of chairs scrapping and hurried footsteps. He looked up at the noise only to be blinded by a shade of yellow Harry would have thought to be impossible to produce.

Luna had walked in followed by a bald, tattooed, air master with a long blond blond beard unevenly cut and with an odd braid down one side of it. That wasn't the most startling thing though, that was reserved for what the man was wearing. It was a skin tight glider suit that left absolutely nothing to the imagination. That on its own would be just about normal except that the suit was sunshine yellow and seemed to dazzle with its own light, hence what had initially blinded Harry. Around the newcomer's neck was a gold pendent of a triangle with a circle in it and a line running through the center of the circle that bisected the triangle from tip to base. There was no doubt that this was Luna's eccentric father Xenophilius, nor was there any doubt that the image in front of Harry had been permanently seared into his mind and would soon be haunting his many nightmares.

Harry knew that Luna's parents had been eccentric and that Xenophilius had become more so after his wife Pandora's death in a gliding accident when Luna was 9 but what Harry saw in before his eyes put all his expectations to shame. Somehow Xenophilius was so eccentric that he made Luna look normal by comparison but Harry presumed that this had been his way to handle the grief of his wife's death so he wasn't going to begrudge the man for finding an outlet that allowed him to move on.

They all knew that Luna had lost her mother and had even been with her when the accident had happened thus seeing her own mother's death at such a young age. Luna had named her bison after her so that part of her mother always flew with her, but they never asked Luna about her mother as it was a sad topic and Luna always focused on being happy. Harry hoped that the therapy she had been through after the Battle of the Elemental Academy also addressed the loss of her mother but that was a question that he knew was way too personal to ask the blunt, lithe. airbender.

Luna saw them and smiled brightly before grabbing a plate of food and a drink from the serving table and heading over to join them with her father in tow but without a tray of food. Harry wasn't exactly thrilled to meet a man who was deemed to be to eccentric for the Air Nation but he would be polite as he was his friend's father.

"Hey sorry I'm late, I tried to talk dad out of wearing the suit but he insisted." Luna said without a hint of embarrassment before she sat down next to Ron and put a hand in his lap causing Ron to splutter on a mouthful of nuts he had just eaten. All of which Harry was certain that Luna had done deliberately.

"Please do not get up on my account." Xenophilius said warmly waving away Harry's attempt to stand and shake the man's hand. "I am merely here to get the Avatar's opinion on my latest prototype. I have been trying to streamline the suits more for easier maneuverability while gliding."

"Er, aren't they already streamlined?" Ron asked, still blushing to have his girlfriend's hand in his crotch in front of her father.

"Yes but this is like a second skin, even more so than the usual suits." Xenophilius said rubbing his hands over the suit. "So it is even more streamlined than the old suits. I have also been experimenting with other fabrics, oils, skull caps and wing cuts to get that extra edge. I will get it right eventually, that is the fun of trial and error."

"And the eye watering yellow shade?" Ginny asked as she looked into his face and not at the distinctive bulge of his crotch.

"It is the color of the Air Nation." Xenophilius replied cheerfully. "So it is a homage to our noble heritage. Also it allows us to be visible as we soar through the skies. Besides I find the black suits a little too drab, we need more color in our lives."

"Well it certainly is memorable." Harry said swallowing a mouthful of food. It honestly looked ridiculous to him but he didn't want to hurt the man's feelings.

"I am glad you approve." Xenophilius said clearly taking Harry's diplomatic answer as an approval of the atrocious glider suit that Harry just noticed had an additional wing between the man's legs, an area he had deliberately not been looking at for obvious reasons. "I shall let the council know that it has your endorsement. With your approval they are sure to switch this time. Anyway I must be off, I have things to do, places to be and things to jump off. Have a good day Avatar and company."

Xenophilius proceeded to turn, walk back to the serving table, grab a tray of food and leave the room. Harry watched the man go, the trail of yellow lingering in his vision long after Xenophilius had left the room. Turning to Luna Harry raised an eyebrow to her.

"He has always been a little much." Luna admitted but Harry could hear the love for her father in her voice. "It's why he won't progress in the ranks of the Air Nation, not that he cares. All he likes to do is research weird and wonderful things and try and perfect that glider suit though I must admit this new model is way too tight. He said it took him hours and a few gallons of vegetable oil to get into it this morning. The only person I would want to see in that is Ron as his bulge would be massive in it."

"Yes it was hard not to look at everything." Neville said with an involuntary shudder. "Between the color and tightness it sticks out like a sore thumb."

"Yes and the glider suits are well made already but if it keeps your father happy then I see no harm in him experimenting." Harry added. "Anyway what is the plan for today?"

"I am going to see the barber here and get my head shaved." Ron said simply. "No better place to do so than an Air Temple, the guys here do it daily so they know what they are doing. Then it's off to find some black dye for the beard and eyebrows."

"Bleach first, then dye." Ginny said causing them all to look at her. "What? Oh yeah, I spoke with Wu's personal stylist out in Ba Sing Se when I asked about the best black dyes for red hair and he said that red hair doesn't hold dye very well so to be effective we have to bleach it first and then dye it. Long term it's not great for our hair but this is a essential to the mission. I intend to go to the stylist here and sort it out as well as picking up a few bottles of bleach and dye for the mission to sort out my roots as they grow."

"That's good to know." Ron said rubbing his budding beard. "It won't be fun but I will endure it for the sake of global balance."

"I would also suggest that you shave everything else as well." Harry added. "You have a fair bit of chest hair that is ginger and its best to be safe."

"Yes please." Luna added clapping happily. "I can finally blow you without needing to floss afterwards. Seriously you aren't that routine with trimming that burning bush and as much as I like blowing you, the hair does ruin the fun a little."

Luna's statement was followed by 4 groans and 4 nearly simultaneous thuds as all of them, bar Luna, thumped their heads on the table at her words. Harry knew that there was no stopping the girl but that didn't mean he had to enjoy the way too much personal information she gave them.

"The nargles must be bad here." Luna said in such an innocent voice that Harry knew that she knew full well why they had face planted and didn't give a shit. "To effect all 4 of you at once."

"Yes that's it Luna." Harry grumbled raising his head. Ron was still red with embarrassment at his girlfriend's words.

"I'll sort it all out Luna." Ron said before raising his hand. "And don't say anything about how we can match now or start describing your bald cunt or something like that, we all already know."

"Fine, spoilsport." Luna said pouting before she smiled and kissed Ron. "You know me so well now."

"I should we have been together for 5 years." Ron said smiling. Harry noticed a twinkle in Ron's eye and knew at once that Ron had something planned for later and Harry hoped that it wouldn't devolve into something graphic but knowing Luna that was highly unlikely.

"Well I will be joining Ron to get the sides of my head shaved." Harry said changing the subject to try and avoid any more Luna moments. "I'm going for a don't mess with me kinda look. Rat tail, shaved sides and a scruffy goatee, once the facial hair actually begins to grow in. just another street urchin thug who has been forced to turn to crime because of Hermione's policies."

"Yeah shame you don't have the bulk Ron, or most earthbenders for that matter, does to pull of the hulking brute look." Ginny said with a giggle taking his hand. "But we are not getting married with you looking like a street thug."

"Yes mam." Harry said with a little exaggeration before kissing her. Harry had no intention of looking bad for his wedding, if for no other reason than Ginny, his mom, and her mom would probably kill him in that order if he even thought about it.

"What about you Ginny?" Luna asked. "You said you were going for the dye job as well, as am I, but I suggest you just edit your hair enough to look like a native of the Fire Nation. I know you don't need to bother with shaving your body hair though as you have none."

Now it was Ginny's turn to go red at Luna's words and could only nod in agreement. Harry could feel the anger coming off his fiancé and had a feeling that next sparring session between the girls would result in Luna taking a trip to a healer very quickly. Ron on the other hand slammed his head into the table again grumbling about information about his sister that he did not need to know.

"Well I'm just going to let the hair down for this mission." Neville said. "No top knot for me. I'll also not shave and see what happens. Otherwise I am golden as unlike y'all I am actually from the Fire Nation so no drastic alteration needed."

"Alright good let's aim to get that done today then meet back here after lunch to review the results." Harry said. "Any other plans for the day?"

"I'm going to show Ron the temple and I suggest you three just explore." Luna said and Harry braced himself for what was to come. "I want to show Ron all the best places to fuck him in as we need to relax while we can. We may not get this much privacy when we are behind enemy lines."

"Good cos tonight I was thinking we go up to the cliff for a group meal under the stars." Ron said as he tried and failed to hide his embarrassment at Luna's words, again. "I've heard it's beautiful up there."

"It is." Luna responded. "And very romantic but this isn't an orgy plan, is it?"

"I agree, a quite dinner for just the 5 of us on the eve of running the blockade will be good." Harry said with a feeling Ron had something specific planned tonight and deliberately ignoring Luna's comments. "If all goes according to plan we might be able to leave as early as tomorrow morning. I think we can leave Pyrites in his cell for the day, we have plenty of time with him coming up."

The others nodded before busing their now empty plates and leaving. Harry and Ron headed off to the barber in the male wing, Ginny and Luna to a stylist she knew at the temple to get their hair done. Neville just went to wander around and explore the Western Air Temple. They had a lot to do today and Harry wished he had more time to enjoy the Western Air Temple and true Air Nomad culture but they did have a mission to accomplish first before he could come back here for a well-deserved break.

* * *

Harry looked at himself in the mirror and barely recognized himself. He and Ron had just finished at the temple barber and Harry was amazed at the result. The sides of his head had been shaved down to stubble leaving a streak of black hair in the center that tapered to a point a little ways down his back. That combined with the goatee he had been trying and failing to grow made him almost look like a different person.

The only part of him that was still distinctive were his startling green eyes were still there but once he put on a pair of slightly tinted glassed he had had made at the Imperial Palace in Ba Sing Se and a change of clothes into something more common place for a low class citizen of the Fire Nation and he didn't look like the Avatar anymore. Ron was equally different.

Ron had been longer in the barber as they not only shaved his head bald but also all his body hair with the exception of his growing beard that was instead bleached of color and then dyed black. Harry had never seen Ron bald before and he had to admit the look did not suit him at all. Add on a pair of mirror shades that he had found in a street market in the Lower Ring and he looked like your average street tough. With rough clothes and a multitude of lethal weapons on his body Ron easily pulled of the thug look. It should work to keep people away from him. Hell slap a military uniform on him and he could pass for a regular enlisted grunt as well.

"Wow I don't think I will ever get used to seeing either of you like that." Ginny said when she and Luna met up with Harry and Ron at lunch in the dining area. Neville was still of in the temple and by this point they were certain that he was lost and eventually Luna would have to go find him. "It's so different."

"Speak for yourself." Harry said looking at Ginny's now black hair that had been cut in a more Fire Nation style. "Personally I don't think it suits you but then again I have only ever known you as a ginger and that has always suited you."

"I agree." Ginny said absently playing with her hair. "It feels odd now and I don't think it goes with my pale skin tone."

"It looks fine." Luna said as she began stroking Ron's bald head, much to her boyfriend's irritation, her own blond hair now auburn with a red sash tied around it to hide her arrow. "As a ginger you look wild, fiery, and exotic, which you are, but with black hair you look a little more elegant and sophisticated, which you also are. Besides it will blend in more while we are in the Fire Nation. The guys though yeah this new look doesn't suit them at all. I'm used to seeing bald guys but Ron's hair was so nice that it's weird to see him without it. Very thug like."

"I dunno I think the brunette works for you." Ron said taking Luna's hands from his head. "Your blonde hair was very noticeable. All that is left is to hide the tattoos on your hands and Ginny's forearms."

"I plan on wearing long sleeved shirts or wrapping that are in the Fire Nation style whenever I am in the open." Ginny said. "I know that my koi fish are very distinctive of the Water Tribe and have to make sure that they are hidden. I also intend to not wear anything that is sleeveless given the crests on my shoulders."

"All that can be sorted out whenever when we go to Pyrites' deserted island." Luna said. "I have fingerless gloves in my bag for that. Has anyone spoken to him?"

"No." They all said before Harry added. "I did go check up on him though when they delivered his lunch and he's still secure. Anyway where is Neville? Is he lost or something?"

"Probably, the Western Air Temple may be a straight line but the rooms go deep into the cliff and they can get a little confusing once you deviate from the main path." Luna said. "I'm sure he will turn up by dinner."

As she spoke Neville walked through the entrance to the dining area talking with an old woman in formal monks' robes sporting the red cape of a member of the Council of Elders. She was completely bald, unlike many female airbenders who only shaved the crowns of their heads. Harry thought he vaguely recognized the woman from somewhere before but couldn't quite place her.

"Ah there your friends are young man." The woman said in a clear, educated voice that had a hint of a United Republic accent to it as soon as she saw them. "I apologize for intruding in your meal Avatar Harry but I found your friend wandering around looking confused and lost. Why he almost got flattened by a Pai Sho tile as I was in the middle of a heated battle with Abbess Fancourt on the massive Pai Sho board we have here. Not that I'm complaining mind you as my old nemesis had me on the ropes and had your friend not wandered into the game I would have lost. Then I would have never heard the end of that old crone's gloating for weeks until our next game."

"Abbess Bagnold I am sorry that Neville bothered you, I know how hard it is to book the giant table for a game." Luna said rising and bowing formally to one of the temple's Elders.

"Luna when you are on the Council of Elders and the former President of the United Republic you can jump the queue from time to time." The woman said smiling at Luna. "That and when you advertise that two members of the council known to be bitter rivals are about to go at it on the giant Pai Sho table and that you have lifted the ban on gambling, it helps people wait and want to watch. Then again if you keep up the greatness you have already achieved my dear, one day you will be on the Council and can jump the queue yourself."

"One day in 50 or 60 years, Abbess." Luna said with a laugh. "But I can wait for that day."

Suddenly it clicked in Harry's mind as to where Harry had seen the woman before, her portrait graced the halls of the Presidential Palace in Republic City along with others of the former Presidents of the United Republic. If he remembered correctly she had served for 10 years, two full terms, and had been elected around the time that Voldemort had been defeated by Korra. She was to date the only known airbender to ever be elected to the highest office in the United Republic.

"President Bagnold it is an honor to meet you." Harry said rising and bowing to the old woman. "I did not know that you had moved here after your time as President had ended."

"Likely cos you didn't ask boy." The woman said before laughing. "Though I do not blame you, few ask what we former presidents do upon our retirement. Honestly I intended to retire from public life peacefully and not be bothered by the minutia of politics ever again. I was lucky in that I only had to deal with Voldemort for a year before his first defeat. Alas I also had to preside over the Avatar's funeral, a job that few have had and fewer still would ever want, but such is the nature of life. I am happy to see that you have blossomed into a fine Avatar, Korra would be proud of what you have done to continue hers and all of your past lives long legacy Harry. Defeating Voldemort was no small feat."

"Thank you for your kind words Madam President." Harry said with a small smile. "It was a tough battle but it was my duty to the world to ensure balace.:

"Madam President if I may ask; why you did retire after your second term?" Ron asked. "From what I have heard you were a popular president and would have easily beaten that fool Fudge if you had decided to remain in office."

"I was getting on and the world had been at peace for almost a decade by that point." Bagnold answered. "I felt it was time to get out of Republic City and return home, I had spent most of my adult life in the United Republic and I wanted to peacefully retire while I was still on top. I also felt the change in the air and I couldn't stand the corruption that had begun to stink up the place so I felt it was best to get out of the City while I still could. I had been elected mainly due to President Minchum's failure to deliver on his hard line stances against the Death Eaters and the people saw me as a more moderate and wiser choice as I was an airbender and a scholar. Voldemort's defeat during my first year in office helped my popularity and the peace it created allowed me to govern effectively without the threat of that man looming over our heads. Korra's death had been sad but we got over it and flourished while I was in office but even I knew it was not to last once the likes of Fudge, Umbridge, and Thicknesse began to emerge during my second term. When I announced I would not seek a third term Abbot Daw offered me a spot on the Western Air Temple's Council of Elders out of respect to my worldly experiences, my former position as President of the United Republic, my heritage as I was born here, and because at least 3 Elders had died that year. I accepted and have been enjoying my quiet retirement here ever since, other than my heated rivalry with that bitch Fancourt that is but we have been rivals since our school days. I try and stay out of world affairs these days, what did happen to my successor after he abruptly resigned. I know Scrimgeour died which was a shame as he was a good Chief of Police and I hear that Shacklebolt is doing well as President but I haven't been back to the United Republic since I retired, despite numerous invitations."

"Fudge was arrested shortly after the fall of Voldemort when we had time to go and find him." Harry said. "Thanks to the ledgers provided to us by a captured Death Eater who was Voldemort's spymaster."

"Pyrites right?" Bagnold said surprising them all. "Oh don't look so shocked I know of his cooperation from our own raid here, I am a trusted member of the Council of Elders here with top secret clearance levels. I also know that he was the Death Eater you brought with you yesterday. I may be old and almost senile but I am not there just yet, which is a shame as I am looking forward to going insane."

"Er yes him." Harry said unsure how to feel about the fact that the former President knew about Pyrites but he continued. "Well in his ledger he detailed Fudge's rampant corruption, likely one of the reasons why the man resigned and fled in disgrace. That and the man's ties to known Death Eaters like former Northern Water Tribe Chief Lucius. It was enough to indict him on numerous charges. He was arrested when we found him hiding out in the Misty Palms Oasis. He's currently serving a 29 year prison sentence for corruption, embezzlement, bribery, perjury, money laundering and fraud after he agreed to cooperate and testify against other corrupt politicians and businessmen."

"Very good." Bagnold said. "Glad to see that at least some of the corruption is gone but with politics it will never truly be eliminated, even in the Air Nation. Now I must be off as I have a make-up game to strategize for. It was a pleasure to meet you Avatar and good luck in your future endeavors."

Harry watched as the old woman walked away not knowing what to think of her. Bagnold had been a respected President, albeit one during a time of peace, but her impact on history would likely be minimal at best due to the lack of events that occurred during her Presidency. All Harry knew about her was what he had just learned and that she was the President when Korra died after defeating Voldemort temporarily.

"She was odd." Ginny commented once Bagnold had left the room.

"She is, that's why I like her." Luna said smiling. "She was born here prior to Harmonic Convergence to two Air Acolytes and received her bending from that incident, as did many children who were at the temples during the event. She then moved to Air Temple Island when she was in her 20s after getting a legal degree here and went into politics. From what I have heard, she began as an aid to one of the Cabinet Secretaries under President Moon before rising through the ranks to eventually become the only airbender to be elected President, as well as the second woman to hold the position after President Moon. I doubt she could have been good during war time though as we airbenders are pacifists and it would have been tough for her to make the hard calls needed as the Commander-in-Chief of the United Forces. Anyway, Neville what have you been up too?"

"Well I went to explore the temple and think about the upcoming mission to my homeland." Neville said with a slightly sheepishly on his face. "And then I got a little lost. Next thing I know a huge Pai Sho tile almost flattens me and some old woman is swearing like a sailor at me for ruining her impending victory. I explained to the other old woman who was thrilled that I had interrupted their game who I was and she escorted me back here while giving me a little tour of the area. I didn't even know she had been the President of the United Republic before Fudge until Luna said her name."

"She likes to keep a low profile about her life in the public sector." Luna said. "I don't know why she does but she's never been the most forthcoming with her reasoning for it so we all just leave her too it."

"Well she was interesting but I say we do a little training this afternoon and then meet up on the cliff for dinner." Ron said rubbing his hands. "Ginny and I need to polish up our nonbending fighting skills."

"Fine with me but I am training with Luna." Ginny said giving her best friend an evil grin. "I owe her for earlier."

Luna blanched at the sound of that causing them all to laugh before heading off. The rest of the afternoon was spent training. Luna, Ginny and Ron in spent it working on their nonbending skills, and occasionally healing Luna from various minor injuries Ginny "accidentally" inflicted on her. They would need it as they likely couldn't rely on their bending as much as Harry or Neville could. Ron was fine without his bending and Ginny decent but Luna was atrocious as she relied on the classic airbending style of evade and counter that utilized her bending a lot.

Meanwhile Harry and Neville focused on firebending. For the most part Harry would only firebend during the mission but depending on where they were he may choose to earthbend as there were enough earthbending expats in the Fire Nation to cover up his bending, so long as he stuck to one element. Besides his cover story was that he was descended from the Fire Nation colonists so it could be logical that he had been born with earthbending due to an earthbender in his direct family line.

After a quick shower the group met on the cliff top that the temple was built under, though the boys had to ask for directions as to how to get there. The main island was rather barren with only a light grass and a few trees but Harry found the area calm and peaceful under the night's sky. Luna had said that many airbenders chose to come up here to meditate on the mysteries of life as it was a peaceful spot to clear one's mind away from the distractions of the temple. It was even said that this was where Avatar Yangchen became a fully realized Avatar but Harry had no connection to her so he couldn't ask his former like.

Ron had brought up a few baskets of picnic food and they had a nice cold meal together under the stars. It was relaxing being here and Harry regretted having to leave in the morning as they were all ready for the mission but he knew that the mission was of the utmost importance. Perhaps once they had succeeded, if they did, they could return here.

As they were eating dessert, a peach pie that was made specially here from locally grown peaches, Luna suddenly choked, then coughed and put her hand to her mouth. She pulled out an orange silk ribbon that had been in the piece of pie that Ron had given her. In the center of the ribbon was a pale, almost clear, sapphire cut in a circle with the symbol of the Air Nation engraved into the center. Though as Harry looked at it he could see the waves of the Southern Water Tribe underneath it. There was only one thing it could be. Harry smiled to himself. Ron must have also felt that the time was right or that given the mission it was best to do it now rather than risk one of them dying without him asking. It was also classic Ron to use food in a marriage proposal.

"Is that what I think it is." Ginny squealed but before she could say anymore Luna had wiped it down, put it on and launched herself on Ron, the way Ginny had done with Harry, only much more graphically.

It quickly became apparent that she wasn't going to stop making out with Ron and it was about to get very uncomfortable for the others. As Luna broke the kiss and began to kiss her way down Ron's chest, ripping his shirt in the process, he looked over at them a mix of pleasure, happiness, joy, embarrassment and apology in his eyes.

"I would go back to the temple now." Ron said as Luna reached his waist and began to work on his belt with her teeth. "We can assume she said yes and that she won't stop, it's about to get very physical here right now and y'all really do not want to watch it when that happens."

Harry, Ginny and Neville didn't need to be told twice. They all got up and grabbed their things, turning as they heard the sound of Ron's zipper being undone and began to run back to the temple. Harry was happy for his best friend, he knew Ron had wanted to ask Luna for months but hadn't found the right moment until now.

However, at this precise moment Harry was focused on getting back to his room as fast as possible as Luna was a notorious screamer and given the proposal it would likely be 10 times worse. They would likely get the story moment by graphic moment from her tomorrow as they travel to Pyrites' island to find out how he intended to smuggle them into the Fire Nation. Harry expected that within 48 hours they would be in the Fire Nation and when that happened their mission would officially begin.

 **The only thing to really note here is that both Bagnold and her predecessor are former Minister for Magic as listed by Rowling (Bagnold is actually mentioned in Goblet of Fire) and so I used them for former United Republic Presidents as well. Nothing else to really add here as this was more of an administrative chapter, the next one will be Pyrites' plan to get into the Fire Nation and it will be released on time as always. Anyway, as always keep letting me know what you think in the reviews and any questions in PMs or Reviews will be answered at the start of next week's chapter while anything constructive will be listened to. Until Next week.**

 **Stringdog**


	7. Chapter 7

**Here is the 7th chapter of Book 2 released on time as always. There is nothing to address here so sit back and enjoy the latest installment in Avatar: The Tale of Harry. Book 2: Equality.**

 **Disclaimer: As always I own nothing related to either of these two great works of fiction.**

 **Chapter 7**

The next morning Harry and Ron met with Daw outside of Pyrites' temporary cell. The others were loading Pandora up for the short trip to wherever Pyrites' emergency stash was located. The bison was well rested but they knew that she couldn't take them past the island where Pyrites had his stuff as she would attract too much attention in the Fire Nation. True they could hide a bison, Aang and his team had done so during the 100 year war, but with the greater level of technology these days Harry didn't want to risk it.

That morning Ron and Luna had come back from their activities the night before and Luna had briefly stopped by her room to lock the necklace away safely as she, like Ginny, did not wish to lose it while they were in the Fire Nation and they couldn't wear them as they would give themselves away as foreigners.

Immigration was something heavily restricted in Hermione's dictatorial regime to only those loyal to Hermione and even then they were detained on a ship, that they had to approach in a speedboat, until they were cleared. Hermione had made it very clear in her many global broadcasts the restrictive requirements for entering her version of a utopia, and everyone else's view of a dystopia. It was ironic how opposed she was to it now as the Enlightened were very pro open borders in the past, but now Hermione had to protect her position so closing the boarders with a military blockade was a necessity for her.

"It is a shame that you must leave now Avatar." Daw said. "There is so much to learn here but I served with Korra so I know that when duty calls upon the Avatar, the Avatar must answer."

"Thank you Abbot Daw for your hospitality and understanding." Harry said bowing respectfully to the venerable master airbender. "It is a shame that my duty takes me away for I do wish to see all the temples in my life and learn from their masters but as you said, I must answer the call of duty for the Avatar is a servant to the world. Rest assured that should my mission prove to be a successful one, and I survive what awaits me in Hermione's Fire Utopia, then I shall return. I will visit not just the Western Air Temple but all the other temples, other than Air Temple Island of course as I currently reside there."

"It has become the unofficial Republic City residence for the Avatar." Daw said with a smile. "As all three Avatars who have been around since the temple's creation have lived there at some point in their lives. I look forward to hopefully seeing you again sometime in the fiture, should the Spirit World not call me before then. Alas, I cannot help with the prisoner as I must be off as it seems that two of the Abbesses on the Council of Elders are threatening to have an all-out brawl over a rescheduled game of Pai Sho and I think many here are placing bets on it. Both the brawl and the games apparently."

Daw hurried off as fast as he could given his age and Harry just laughed. Once he was done he set a more stern expression and turned to the stone door. Extending his hand he lowered it back into the floor. Again Pyrites was standing just on the other side a cocky grin on his face, his hand raised in surrender, and to show off the Dark on his forearm. Stepping forward he lowered them and extended his wrists so that Harry could cuff him. Harry did so while Ron busied himself attaching the leg irons and waist chain to complete the full restraints as required by law.

"I do hope that this is the last time I have to be restrained." Pyrites said calmly. "They do chafe my fine, delicate, skin."

"Once we reach the Fire Nation and go our separate ways on our assigned tasks then they will be removed permanently." Harry said without emotion. "You know the rules. That being said, we may remove them on your emergency stash island if you cooperate and behave yourself."

"I know the rules Avatar, I just don't often respect or follow them." Pyrites said with that infuriating smirk of his. "But if they get me out of my chains then I will follow them to a tee. Very well are we off now."

"We are, come on." Harry said as he stepped behind Pyrites and pushed him in the back to start his shuffling walk through the temple to where their bison was.

Harry escorted the former Death Eater back to the where they had entered the temple. There the others were all waiting for Harry, Ron, and Pyrites. This time however a set of mounting stairs had been brought out and Pyrites lifted up them and into the saddle as the leg irons prevented large steps.

"Well that is much better than last time thank you." Pyrites said as he wiggled in the large so that he was sitting by the side of it. "Still a little bit of manhandling but there's not much I can do in these restraints.

"It's only cos the temple has several of those steps." Ginny said as Harry followed the spymaster into the saddle and a few acolytes came over to remove the stairs. "Otherwise Harry would have thrown you again with his earthbending."

"Yip yip." Luna called happily from her position on Pandora's head and the bison once more took to the skies and flew into the canyon.

"So where are we going?" Ron asked once they were clear of the canyon and flying slowly eastwards, pulling out and unfurling a map of the Fire Nation and surrounding waters as he spoke. Ron then placed it in front of Pyrites so that the man could direct them.

"Head northeast." Pyrites said as he studied the map intently before he gestured as best he could with his restrained arms to a spot about 7 nautical miles from southwestern coastline of the principle land mass of the Fire Nation. "The island is too small and insignificant for a map like this but it should be in that general area. There isn't anything near it so it shouldn't be too hard to find though I have only visited it by sea and not air."

"Any idea what to look for?" Neville asked clearly annoyed at the vagueness. "There are several uninhabited, small and insignificant islands dotted along the coast."

"Look for an island with high cliffs, grassland, beaches, a few trees, and koala sheep." Pyrites replied. "It ought to be the only one like it in that area but it has been about 7 years since I was last there."

"Very well and what are we looking for once we get there?" Harry asked as Ron joined Luna on the head of the bison to aid with the map and directions pyrites had given them.

"A cave on the eastern shore." Pyrites replied. "It contains all we need and is sufficiently far enough from the sea to not be flooded during high tide while being small enough to be overlooked by a passing ship. It took me months of searching to find an island with one that was also close enough to the Fire Nation to make the journey possible while also having the cave system I needed but my patience paid off. Then it took a few years to personally transport everything there under the guise of deep sea fishing trips so that it was suitable for my needs."

"So what do you have in mind?" Ginny ask.

"All in good time Princess." Pyrites said causing Ginny to grumble at the use of her formal title. "Just wait, I never reveal all my cards at once."

"We know." Harry said with a sigh as he sat back next to Ginny in the saddle.

They spent the rest of the journey in relative silence as the flew towards their destination. It was a nice day for a flight so they just enjoyed the trip in as much comfort as they could manage. In the distance they could just make out the Fire Nation's western mountains and coastline on the horizon. Harry knew the specks in the sky and on the sea were the continual air and sea blockade that Hermione had put into place to protect herself from being invaded and having her version of a utopia ended by the forces of justice. Harry had seen it up close once before, almost 5 years ago, when he had gone with Admiral Williamson to try and reason with Hermione only to be turned away by the imposing and seemingly impregnable blockade. Hopefully Pyrites' plan would get them past it.

Soon Luna was bringing Pandora lower so that they could try and find the island that Pyrites had described. They found 4 that were immediately ruled as not the right place by Pyrites before they finally found it, after a false confirmation on a similar 5th island. It was nearer to the Fire Nation than Harry had imagined, only 5 nautical miles out and 1 nautical mile from the blockade ships. If there had been someone in the ships in the distance with a telescope they would have been seen. Same for the airships as they made their approach as they couldn't hide Pandora while looking for the island.

"Likely they have gotten complacent." Ron said from next to Luna when Harry voiced his concerns about possibly being spotted. "They are guarding the back side of the nation and the only thing in this area is the Western Air Temple which Hermione likely has some spies in and a few pirate bases that help provide us with cover for our true activities. Any attack will likely come from the east sea and not the west as that is where almost all the other nations are and the Capital City's harbour faces east. It would be too inconvenient to sail from Ba Sing Se across the western ocean to get here, not to mention too expensive. Besides, they have been doing this for 5 years without incident so they will get complacent over time from the boredom and lack of action."

"And an attack from the west would be too easy to see." Pyrites agreed. "Other than the few islands like this one it's just open ocean as far as the eye can see. Even a cursory glance would notice the ships but an air bison would have to be searched for."

The island in question was just as Pyrites had described it. Small with only grass, a few trees and a handful of koala sheep on top of the cliffs while the sandy beaches were relatively large. Pyrites directed them to a cove on the eastern shore. As soon as they landed on the sandy beach they began to unload, which included once more bodily throwing Pyrites from the saddle. This time he was caught by a pillar of sand that Harry had bent up to catch him causing the older man to splurter and curse while they just left him lying bound on the sand.

Harry had mastered sandbending during his 5th year at the Academy and became the first known earthbender to master the metal, sand and lave sub-bending arts and completing the set of earthbending disciplines. Harry wanted to create his own sub-bending art but was unsure what constituted as earth that was left to bend but Harry was determined to find something and leave his mark on his native element.

In his 6th year Harry had begun to focus on some of the other sub-bending arts associated with the other elements, when he wasn't running around the world rounding up the last of the Purist Movement that is. Su had once said to him, shortly before her death, that the Avatar should be a master in all bending arts not just the 4 elements and the sub-bending variants associated with his native element, hence why she had taught Korra to metalbend. Therefore, by the end of his 6th year he could produce and redirect lightning thus mastering the primary sub-bending variant of firebending.

His 7th and final year had seen Harry had focused on the sub-bending arts of waterbending and swiftly mastered plantbending though he still found it weird and unnatural to do and entirely dependent on the water content of the plant he was bending at the time. He had absolutely no aptitude for healing as it seldom manifested in male benders. While he could, like Ron, perform rudimentary healing with water though it was always forced and draining as it didn't come naturally like it did for Ginny. As a result Harry had pretty much abandoned it as a bending art and decided that if there ever was a situation that required him to heal someone he would enter the Avatar State and use Korra's knowledge, power and skill to accomplish it. Lastly there had been the only illegal form of bending, bloodbending. All Harry had done with that vile art was read the theory of it and how to fight it, as well as the dangers of using it. It was the reason why he had left water for last in his sub-bending training as only 7th years were allowed to do anything with bloodbending, well that and the fact that water was still his worst element. After facing Voldemort Harry was loathe to every actually bloodbend and he agreed that the art should be illegal, not to mention the madness it almost always caused. However despite this success there were still a few fields of sub-bending that Harry couldn't master for various reasons.

Combustionbending was out of the question as it required specific tattoos and years of training to open the chakras and chi paths. That training was almost impossible to find as the only 3 known combustionbenders were dead, one by Harry's hand, and any firebender who displayed the potential was taken to a special compound run by the White Lotus that contained the only known materials on unlocking the art. This was done so that any potential combustionbenders weren't corrupted and used for evil given the destructive nature of their bending.

Likewise the art of flying was off the table. In order to achieve flight one had to let go of one's earthly tethers and enter the void, something only 2 airbenders in history had achieved, and as a natural earthbender Harry had way too many earthly tethers to sever. It required devotion to and understanding of Air Nomad philosophy and a lifelong commitment to them to figure out how to accomplish weightlessness. Zaheer had only accomplished it after his love, P'Li had been killed and he could never let Ginny go while they lived and loved one another.

Also Harry did not need spirit projection as he was the Avatar and could accomplish a facsimile with energybending and could enter the Spirit World at will. As such he had not tried to learn it and decided that his normal airbending was enough.

Now though Harry seldom used the sub-skills of the bending arts other than metalbending as they often weren't often needed in the course of his usual duties. He would use lava from time to time if he needed something unexpected, unpredictable and deadly, the same with lightning on occasion, but otherwise he stuck to the 4 elements unless like now he needed to use a sub-skill due to the environment.

Once Pandora was unloaded, Luna attached a note to one of the bison's horn telling Abbot Daw that they had begun their mission to clear out the pirates and asking her father to look after Pandora as they would not be needing her on their mission. With a sad groan at leaving her chosen airbender, Pandora rose and rose into the sky to fly home.

Once they were all geared up, they all had a large backpack with their stuff plus an extra duffle bag each for weapons and other essentials, and had lifted Pyrites to his feet, they followed the sandy, disgruntled and still restrained man up the gently sloping beach. At the top of the sloping beach was a small cave that Harry could tell stayed dry from the rising tide.

"Y'all know that with all that crap you will attract attention right?" Pyrites said. "Not many travelers will be about these days if what y'all have told me about the place it correct and the few who do travel with have a lot less crap with them."

"The plan was to get a cart once we got to a village." Ron said. "So we can haul it all and with Harry's earthbending that won't be a problem. Plus I'd like to see the idiots who try and rob us. Of course we have no idea what you have in store for us so that could change our plans."

"We know that most of this stuff won't make it back." Harry added as they reached the cave and went inside. It was dark and Harry and Neville had to create small flames to see as Pyrites had yet to recover his bending naturally. "We just want to be prepared that's all."

"Very well, I do know that it is best to be prepared." Pyrites agreed. "And unlike me y'all don't have multiple hidden depots like this all over the nation, and a few in the other nations. I will provide you with a list of safe houses I maintain that you may find useful on your journey though. They all should be well stocked with supplies designed to last years and some should still be available but others will have likely been seized by Hermione and her loyalists."

"How generous of you." Harry said a little surprised at the offer.

"I have to provide you with whatever aid you may require or that I can provide under the terms of the deal." Pyrites said with a shrug. "And that is a lot of aid given my incredible paranoia back when I was a spy. Ah here it is."

They had walked a decent way into the cave and slowly the light revealed a cavern filled with stuff. Harry found a brazier in the center and lit it before marveling at everything in front of him. The brazier was filled with oil and had channels running off it so that once lit a tongue of flame went in all 4 cardinal directions and showed the entirety of the large, natural cavern and all that it contained.

There were weapons of all sorts, several Harry had never seen before, lining the walls, tables with safes likely filled with documents and money, chests almost certainly filled with cloths, gold, and jewels, and just about everything else one would need to kit oneself out if they were on the run. As Harry looked around he heard Luna gasp in surprise.

"What the fuck is that thing?" Luna asked.

Harry looked at where she was pointing and resting against the far wall Harry saw a large, armored vehicle of sorts with windows and of all thing, a periscope. It wasn't the only vehicle in the back of the cavern, there looked to be and old 100 war Fire Nation war balloon, a small utility truck, a tank and a satomobile. How on earth had Pyrites managed to get all this shit in here baffled Harry.

"That is our ticket into the Fire Nation." Pyrites said with unconcealed pride as he shuffled forward through the room and towards the vehicle section. "The pride and joy of my collection, a genuine Sokka designed, Mechanist created, waterbending powered submarine. The very same type as was used on the Day of Black Sun."

"I thought they were all destroyed during the invasion." Harry said as he walked up to it and admired the unfamiliar machine.

It was large and could clearly fit all of them plus the truck and satomobile snugly inside, in fact as Harry looked through the windows it had both already inside as if prepared for such a purpose. Knowing Pyrites it had been prepared for such a purpose.

From what Harry could see, it looked simple enough to operated and seemed to have the necessary provisions inside it though Harry had never seen one before, only read about their use during the Invasion of the Fire Nation on the Day of Black Sun almost 200 years ago. They had fallen out of fashion over the years and Harry was unsure if anyone still made them or if the militaries of the world even bothered to use them.

"Most were." Pyrites said clearly enjoying gloating about it. "And the few originals that survived are currently in museums and don't function anymore. Fortunately, I found the designs for it while visiting Ba Sing Se University some years ago and hired the best engineers in the Fire Nation to build it. Of course I had them improve it so that it was more efficient and lied to them about why I needed it but they were paid to not ask too many questions."

"How the hell did you get it here?" Ron asked failing to keep the impressed tone from his voice. "This thing can only be driven by a minimum of 2 waterbenders if I remember correctly and last I knew you were a firebender."

"true which is why I used a few of the waterbending Death Eaters to get it here." Pyrites said simply. "You see, this place was a backup for Death Eaters so I had a few of them in our ranks bring it here, without revealing that I was anything other than another masked Death Eater of course. Before we left the Fire Nation with it I loaded it up with a utility truck and a satomobile, extra air canisters just in case and enough supplies to last a week under water. The only drawback was of course the fact that, as Ron pointed out, it can only be powered by waterbending. I honestly never thought I would get a chance to use it to get into the Fire Nation but when y'all asked for my aid I knew this was the best, if not the only, way."

"It's brilliant." Ron said marveling at the sub. "These things fell out of favor about a century ago because of the effort required to pilot one and the limits of technology back then. Sure there are still a few luxury ones out there that use more modern tech but the militaries only have a few for short range recon purposes. Someone as arrogant and narrow minded as Hermione, despite her apparent intelligence and knowledge of history, would never even begin to think that someone would use one of these to sneak into her oppressed nation. Honestly no one would think of using a waterbending powered sub cos of the effort required and limited range but 5 nautical miles is about the max of one of these babies."

"Exactly what I thought." Pyrites said walking over to it to continue to admire it. "Sure it's a bit of a risky move but y'all are so desperate that you offered me a deal so y'all will try it. Also with 3 waterbenders to power it, including the Avatar, it shouldn't be a problem."

"Other than draining the 3 of us." Ginny pointed out. "But it is worth the pain if it can get us past that blockade."

"As I said, at this point we will try anything, even if it requires 3 of us to discover our waterbending limits." Harry said. "But we also get the truck for our gear and travel use. Those utility trucks are common all over the world nowadays and in her military dictatorship Hermione and her forces won't bat an eyelash at one driving around, especially if we can procure some military uniforms while out there."

"Fine with me, the satomobile is more useful for my purposes anyway." Pyrites said clearly happy to use the smaller vehicle.

"I have a question." Neville said as he joined them at the sub. "What about the radar on the ships? Won't they detect it and know we are passing under them? Then they can just drop a bomb and we'd be done for."

"You don't understand marine life do you Neville." Ginny said kindly and not in a condescending way to which Neville nodded in agreement with her. "This sub is roughly the size of several of the ocean creatures that would be expected in this region of the world. A ship's radar is not sophisticated enough to tell the difference between metal and flesh, it just sends out a radio wave that bounces back once it hits something that isn't water. Therefore a ship's radar officer will associate any pings it might get from this sub with one of the larger marine animals and not with a submarine breaching the blockade as subs are so rare these days."

"Since when have you been an expert on radar?" Luna asked shocked at Ginny's statement.

"I'm not." Ginny replied. "But when you a waterbender who grew up in the Southern Water Tribe and have 6 older brothers, albeit one who is only a few minutes older, you pick up a few things, especially if they are water related."

"So as Ginny pointed out, this only adds to the brilliance of the plan." Ron said not caring that he was complimenting Pyrites. "Sure this bitch will take a lot of work on mine, Ginny and Harry's parts to get it the 5 or so nautical miles to the shore but it will be worth it if we can run the blockade. We will need breathing masks for it though."

"That's why they are in there already." Pyrites said before leaving the sub and taking a seat at a nearby table that had a few dusty tools on it. "Now if y'all are done gawping at my sub, we have a plan to sort out. Unlike y'all I won't be freed of these cuffs until we are in the Fire Nation so I would like to sort all this shit out now if you don't mind."

Harry gave Pyrites a look of annoyance but knew the man was right. They did need to get down to work and figure out a plan for what to do once they were in the Fire Nation. They had a vague plan but it was always open to change and improvement as they figured out the best way to topple Hermione's cruel, ruthless and oppressive regime and free the citizens from her tyranny. The sooner they set off the less the people would suffer, though Harry would always feel guilty for allowing them to suffer for 5 years already. Harry and his friends walked over to the table, Ron brining a map of the Fire Nation and after clearing the table, set it down in front of them all.

"So our plan so far is to figure out a way to sneak into the Fire Nation, recon it and make our way to the capital to confront Hermione." Ron began. "Now the sneaking in part is sorted but a lot of the plan hinged on Pyrites' cooperation and what he could bring to the table hence why we deemed this plan to be insane and desperate, no offense, and also why we haven't flushed out the details of it yet."

"No offense taken." Pyrites said. "I agree y'all coming to me and relying on me so heavily that you are willing to grant me a lifetime parole after only 5 years in prison is reckless and desperate. However, y'all are shit out of options at this point and have covered all the bases required to ensure my complete aid in this mission. Seeing as I really don't want to either die or go back to that ice box of a prison I pretty much have to help in order to gain what no other still avowed and living Death Eater has, freedom. What do you propose from me once we get into my homeland?"

"What we need you to do is use your personal network to make contact with any rebel groups still active and in hiding there." Harry said. "This will require you to go off on your own but as you pointed out, you are sufficiently motivated to not fuck us over. We will also try to make contact with any rebels but our resources are much more limited. Basically all we have in the Fire Nation are those we knew from our Academy days that may or may not be there."

"We also need to find out if my brother is still alive and safe." Ron said. "Charlie has been in the Fire Nation working with the dragons since he graduated from the Academy so we haven't heard from him since before Iroh's murder. He may be of some help but the primary reason for finding him is to make sure he is alright and that he hasn't revealed his heritage as there is no telling what Hermione might do if she discovered that the 3rd in line for the Southern Chiefdom has been in her backyard all along."

"He should be fine where he is so long as he has kept his wits and not opposed Hermione openly." Pyrites said stunning the lot of them. "What, you think I didn't compile a file on all of the Southern Water Tribe, Fire Nation and Earth Kingdom royal families down to the last in line for succession? Please, I wouldn't be doing my job if I hadn't. though I thought that Prince Charlie is second in line to the Southern Chiefdom but clearly Crown Prince William has had a child who had better be a waterbender or nonbender or else y'all are going to have a succession problem if the mother is that airbender Fleur he was dating. Never underestimate m knowledge, especially when it comes down to leaders of nations. In Charlie's case I lost track of him after he graduated from the Elemental Academy so I had to find him. It took me a little while but I tracked him down. Last I heard, and that was before I was arrested, Charlie was living near the Sun Warriors Temple where the dragon habitat is located. He uses his real name and is a known waterbender but no one there knows his true heritage, only that he is a skilled animal breeder who is there to help grow the dragon population. I would suggest going there if you want to find him."

"We will, thank you." Ron said gratefully. "Though I am a little disturbed by how much you know about my family."

"I aim to please, Prince Ron." Pyrites said with his usual annoying smile. "As for contacts I can do easily do that. As y'all theorized I do have several connections all over the world that are not, and never were, associated with Voldemort, the Death Eaters the Purists, or the Unified Triad, so I can reach out once I am there. It will take a little time to reconnect with them as I need to check if they are still alive, remember how they fit into my personal network, and regain their trust again. However, I am a master at this so give me about 3 months and I will meet you in the capital with all the rebel leaders. I know it is a long time but I cannot promise any less than that."

"Very well we can survive that long." Harry said nodding and not telling Pyrites that 3 months was half the minimum time Harry was expecting it would take to connect to the various rebel leaders, if there were any, and be in place to take down Hermione. "We will do our own recon around the Fire Nation, contact Charlie and see if there is anything we can come up with to foster dissent against Hermione. I believe there may be a couple from the Academy who are there who could be of some use to us if they are in the nation and can be found but I think Pyrites will have more success on that front than we will. It will be helpful to learn and understand what has happened in the Fire Nation, what exactly Hermione's crimes are other than the treason and murder charges and find out the general populace's attitude to her. All will come in handy in understanding how this happened, how to prevent it from happening again, and in prosecuting Hermione and her supporters, those who survive, when this is over. Provided that we win that is."

"Given that she is a fanatical, tyrannical, mad, despot who rules through fear and intimidation, it made be hard to get an accurate read of the people." Pyrites said. "It happens when people rule through fear, oppression and tyranny. It's how Voldemort operated, rule by fear and power and the people will be broken into submission. Hermione ain't that much different from him except she likely doesn't get her own hands dirty the way Voldemort did and is motivated by different causes, equality for Hermione, Purity for Voldemort. State control of the media and means of production will also be a factor to consider, as well as any secret police force that I do not doubt Hermione has created to ensure that any dissenters disappear or are punished."

"Voldemort had power to back him up though." Neville pointed out. "Hermione is mediocre at bending at best."

"True." Pyrites agreed. "But as I said, she controls the state and the state is a powerful tool of oppression. Plus she will has sycophants who follow her. The Chosen will be like the Death Eaters, fanatically loyal to her and believe in anything she says. As will be the leaders of the various institutions she has control of or has created. There will also be lower level believers, people who just follow orders, people who will be false believers and just use her to gain power or satisfy their desires, and people who are opportunists and using Hermione to further their own interests. All of this will have to be factored in while we are in the Fire Nation."

"That is good to know." Ron said. "But how will you contact us?" We will have to split up once we reach the mainland in order to accomplish this mission and as you pointed out, Hermione likely controls everything."

"Messenger hawks." Pyrites replied simply. "They are still available for those who want something more nostalgic a few of my alias own them. The birds are very smart and will always know their owner so it shouldn't be a problem plus I get a little money by renting my hawks out. Well I used to but I am pretty sure that Hermione would have stopped that but the birds will still recognize an owner."

"Ok what about money and papers?" Harry asked. "I'm sure you have both here."

"Of course, both are in the sub and there are more in the safes.." Pyrites said with a smile. "I suggest we take papers for everything we might need, and there is a camera and dark area for ID pictures that can be done in a few hours. We will need military and civilian IDs. We should also take both rough clothes and military uniforms to blend in with an oppressed nation, though the later might be out of style by now. I doubt she still uses the same currency as Iroh but people will allow accept it lest the nation fall into economic ruin. As such we will take a lot of cash as there are few situations that I have encountered that couldn't be solved by throwing large wads of money at it."

"On the currency front we know that Hermione has created her own that features her face." Harry confirmed. "I don't know what it's called though but she does accept Yuans and old Fire Nation currency, it's just replaced with her own whenever possible at a 2 to 1 rate, meaning 2 Yuans to 1 of whatever her currency is called."

"Good then I believe we are sorted." Pyrites said clapping his hands as best he could in the handcuffs. "Y'all will travel to the Sun Warriors' Temple and then investigate the nation for a while. I head to my contacts, my first port of call will likely be Fire Fountain City as I have a few people there who can help, and then I will go and find the rebel leaders. Then we meet in the capital in one of my many safe houses there and plan how to take down the mudblood cunt in charge."

"You also have to help foment a rebellion and gather troops with these rebel leaders." Harry reminded the spymaster. "We may be able to storm the palace and take her out but the Enlightened still control the military and other key positions thanks to her purges and the coup. If we take out Hermione without a solid force to control the nation until the United Forces arrive we will just create a power vacuum and make everything worse."

"I know" Pyrites replied with a grin of pleasure. "We are aiding a counter coup against a dictator to restore a monarchy that is also autocratic but as of the current lineage not oppressive but benevolent. If Druzok had any sense he would transition from an absolute to a constitutional monarchy when he returns to power similar to how Wu did after the defeat of Kuvira. This is child's play, don't worry Avatar. This time I am working with you and not against you or Korra so that makes my life much easier. With the power of the Avatar at my back I know we will succeed, no matter the cost."

"I hope so because we are putting a lot of faith in a pureblood, purist, bender supremacy, racist, extremist who happens to be a suave and charming individual with absolutely no moral compass or remorse, the ability to convincingly lie to any but a truth seer and a convicted spymaster." Harry said with a little desperation. "What could go wrong."

"Don't sound so sound desperate when you lay out all my outstanding qualities." Pyrites said with a wink. "Keep going and you may even make me blush."

"Just don't fuck us because you know what will happen to your ass if you do." Harry said coolly.

"Yup y'all are going to fuck it up so badly it will feel like runaway train just fucked me for 24 hours straight." Pyrites replied not missing a beat.

Harry just shook his head at the man. As much as he loathed what Pyrites believed and stood for he had to admit the man was a people person and it was easy to get along with him despite his terrible views. The man was a rarity among the Death Eaters as the few survivors had been more like brutish thugs or fanatical devotees, or both, with just enough social senses and family money to get by in their positions, except Lucius and Rookwood, than a normal civilized person.

Harry shuddered to think of how the war would have played out had they not caught a lucky break due to Pyrites' arrogance and vanity and caught the asshole. Sighing Harry made a snap decision. They were going to have to trust each other so best to give the man a sign of good faith.

"Stand up." Harry ordered the convicted Death Eater.

"Excuse me." Pyrites responded with genuine surprise but did as commanded. "Why?"

"Because I am going to take the first step towards a semblance of trust between us." Harry said as he took the key to the cuffs out and began the process of removing Pyrites' restraints much to the shock of everyone. "And remove the shackles now instead of tomorrow. That doesn't me I trust you father than I can throw you but we are working together for a common goal so we have to be able to do so professionally."

"Are you serious?" Pyrites and Ron asked Harry in unison.

"Yes." Harry said firmly. "We need to trust each other for this to work, at least trust each other as much as we can, so this is the first step to that trust."

"Besides it's not like he can go anywhere." Ginny said with a smile. "Between the monitor and the waterbending powered sub you are stuck here with us. You could kill us I supposed but that will just leave you stuck here for the rest of your miserable life. You will be trading one prison for another, slightly nicer one."

"Very true." Pyrites said rubbing his wrists and sitting back down as Harry put the shackles on the table, they wouldn't need them in the Fire Nation. "Very well I appreciate the gesture Avatar. You are right to not trust me but you can trust my desire to remain free so I won't fuck you over. I will repay your trust with my own and promise you that I will do everything within my power to ensure that this mission succeeds. My freedom is at stake and in your capable hands."

"Good now let's get ready." Harry said. "Ron you and Neville look through all the shit here and our own stuff then load that utility truck up in the sub with everything we might conceivably need and can logistically transport. Ginny, Luna you two go to the safes and chests after Pyrites has opened them and get what we need from them, including gold and jewels as they can be useful bribery tools. I dunno about ID cards but if they require them then we're probably fucked and should just knock the fuckers out and move on or throw money at them, whichever is more efficient. Once all the gear is ready we will use the camera Pyrites has to make all the IDs just in case as it is always a good idea to be prepared just in case. Pyrites when you are done helping us go get yourself cleaned up and changed, you look like you've spent several years in a dark, cold, hole."

"I have been in a dark, cold, hole for the last few years." Pyrites pointed out. "But yes I can do that, within the expectations of what people in the Fire Utopia look like that is. A shame I cannot be my usual fine, rich, dandy self but those are the very people Hermione discriminates against, other than purebloods and those who disagree with anything she says or does."

"True that is something we will all have to keep in mind." Harry agreed. "Right, let's get going I want to be out of here tomorrow morning and in the Fire Nation as fast as we can drive that sub 5 nautical miles."

The others nodded and got up to go to their assigned tasks. For the rest of the day they all made sure everything they needed was loaded up, the paperwork was in order, and that Harry could move the dam thing with his bending from the cave to the sea. Harry knew he could but it would take going into the Avatar State briefly to do so without straining himself.

It took them several hours before they were all loaded and ready to Ron's satisfaction. After a light meal they all set up cots that Pyrites had stashed there and lay down to go to sleep. Neville and Luna were to take watch duty throughout the night so that Pyrites didn't try anything funny, they could sleep in the sub the next day while Harry, Ron, and Ginny drove it with their waterbending.

Harry would have liked to help them but he knew that he, Ron and Ginny needed their rest for the journey tomorrow as the bending was going to be taxing and he couldn't use the Avatar State as it would give him away. Harry smiled as he drifted off to sleep, this time tomorrow they would be in the Fire Nation and officially start their mission to restore balance to the nation. Harry was both nervous and excited for it, it had been 5 years since he had faced a real challenge and now he had another one and it was just as big as Voldemort.

 **There really isn't anything to add after this chapter as it this was a very straightforward chapter. The next chapter, which will be released at the usual time next week, will be the start of Team Avatar's time in Hermione's Fire Utopia and the point at which this story picks up steam. Keep letting me know what you think of in the reviews, any questions there or in PMs will be answered at the start of the next chapter and anything constructive will be listened to. Until next week.**

 **Stringdog**


	8. Chapter 8

**Here is the 8th chapter of Book 2 on time as always. Once again there is nothing new to add here so sit back and enjoy the latest instalment in Avatar: The Tale of Harry. Book 2: Equality.**

 **Disclaimer: As always I won nothing related to either of these two great works of fiction.**

 **Chapter 8**

The following morning saw Harry, his friends and a cleaned up Pyrites standing on the beach with the sub. They had woken up early to do a last minute check of all the equipment inside the sub to make sure it was all there and that they hadn't left anything out. Pyrites had placed all the stuff he needed in the satomobile while Team Avatar had placed what they needed in the back of the truck, minus things they would need while operating the sub.

Following the check Harry had gone into the Avatar State and using metalbending lifted the sub and took it to the beach before exiting the supercharged state. The increase in his power had allowed him to move the large machine without even breaking a sweat and sped up their departure time. Now they were getting ready to get in and Harry surveyed them all.

Pyrites was the most different seeing as he had had a chance to fully clean up and had taken it to get rid of 5 years of prison life. While he was still skinny the last few days with better meals had seen a little color return to him though he still looked slightly gaunt. He had cut his beard into a stylish short beard with a point at the end and trimmed his hair so that it was just above his shoulders. Pyrites had also left the gray streaks in it to complete the look and Harry was certain few who had not known him would recognize him.

Pyrites had also changed out of his prison rags and was now wearing simple black pants, boots and a grey shirt under a dark red vest. He looked like a man who had spent a little too long working inside rather than the dandy and charming man he had when Harry had first met him or the convicted prisoner he had just been. It was a good disguise for the mission.

The others too were dressed for the Fire Nation. Harry himself was wearing a rough red shirt, string vest and black pants. His metal boots were black so they fit in fine, provided he wasn't walking on certain surfaces like marble without retracting the soles first. Ron had gone with a tight white shirt and gray pants and combat boots complete with a wide variety of weapons so he looked like a street tough there for protection. Neville had decided to go with a standard plant worker's outfit as if he was on his way to work.

As for the girls, both had gone with loose pants and shirts that made them look poor and cheap at the same time. Luna was wearing boots, red fingerless gloves and a red headband to hide her tattoos and carrying a staff that doubled as her weapon. While Ginny had red forearm wraps to hide the koi fish that were inked on her arms.

They're biggest concern was Luna's tattoos as they didn't expect to see many airbending masters in Hermione's version of a utopia, unless they were members of the Chosen or the Air Enlightened, though Harry doubted the later would be present as any other Enlightened might encroach on Hermione's absolute power. Harry was certain that Hermione couldn't share her power with anyone.

Once everyone was ready and outside Harry solidified the sand under their feet and then bent them up so that they could enter the sub from the entrance hole in the top. He followed them up using airbending to reach the top. Instead of going inside he began to shift his arms forward and backwards, Ginny mirroring the moves next to him as they pushed and pulled the water up the beach and under the sub. As soon as the sub was floating Harry used the water to pull them out to sea while Ginny went into the machine. Once they were at a depth where they could dive Harry entered the sub and seal the entrance hatch tight behind him.

"Clear to dive." He told Ron and Ginny who simultaneously began to waterbend the sea around them to allow the sub to dive to the expected depth of a marine animal roughly the same size as the sub.

Harry moved to the back and began to help waterbend the sub forward with the aid of Ron and Ginny. It was hard work and after an hour they had to put on the oxygen masks so as to breathe in the cramped sub. While they were straining, Neville and Luna were napping and Pyrites was reading a magazine that was almost a decade out of date while occasionally glancing at the navigation instruments to keep them on track. It was an out of date machine but between the 4 of them they quickly figured out how to drive and steer it, even if it was taxing.

It took them 3 hours to get the sub to the coast of the Fire Nation and a further hour to find a suitable and deserted beach to land on as this part of the coast was mountainous. The most nerve wracking part had been going under the blockade but it had been over in a moment and when Pyrites had used the periscope to check for a beach to land on he confirmed that no ships had deviated from their continuous course circling the nation.

During the dive they saw a few other large aquatic animals along the way so they knew that they would be mistaken for them if any of the likely bored sailors were looking at the radar instruments. Pyrites' plan had worked perfectly, they had successful run the blockade and were finally back in the Fire Nation for the first time in over half a decade.

As soon as the hatch breached the surface Harry and Ron went to the top and summoned up a sea mist to cover the area and prevent prying eyes from seeing them. While they were doing this, Ginny pushed the sub as far up the beach as she could from within before joined them up top to continue the work beaching the sub on the small beach.

Once it was beached they all leapt out, splashing into the water and causing a little too much noise for Harry's liking before he once more entered the Avatar State. He then metalbent the sub completely out of the water and further up the beach, with the other 3 still inside, so that they could unload it. He was exhausted but he knew they still had more work to do.

Harry stayed in the Avatar State to maintain the mist camouflage until he heard from Ron that the sub had been unloaded and the vehicles ready. Returning to normal Harry, now damp from the sea mist and his brief dip in the ocean, hurried over, retracting his boot to confirm that no one was nearby. The whole journey had had them all on edge and paranoid that they would be caught, something Pyrites seemed to enjoy, but so far so good.

"What are we going to do with my sub?" Pyrites asked. "Cos I ain't scuttling her or allowing you to tear her apart. Ocean's Purity is one of the rarest items in my collection and I am not going to lose her."

"Do you know or remember where this beach is?" Harry countered ignoring the sub's name.

"Vaguely." Pyrites replied with a little trepidation in his voice. "I can find it again if I was to sail from that island though it might take a while. Why?"

In response Harry raised his arms shifted the earth that sub sat on and pushed it down into the ground. Straining slightly as Harry buried the sub in the earth before he stopped the burial and pulled out a thick slab of earth to cover the sub in an underground, protected chamber. Once there was no more trace of the sub, only the beach, Harry staggered a bit and had to be propped up by Neville. He was absolutely exhausted.

"Well that does protect it." Pyrites said scratching his beard in response to Harry's earthbending. "I'll have to hire and earthbender with the seismic sense ability to come help me extract it, or probably a whole team of them, once our mission is done."

"What now?" Neville asked.

"Well we have managed to get this far, I say we continue into the Fire Nation and with our mission." Ron said with a smile as he, Ginny, and Harry waterbend the water off their clothes to dry themselves. "Once we are off this beach and on the road I for one will rest a little easier. From then on all we have to do is act like we belong her and are average, oppressed, beat into loyal submission, citizens."

"I agree." Harry said before turning to Pyrites. "Thank you for your assistance getting us past the blockade. As much as I hate to admit it, your crazy plan worked."

"Thank you for my freedom." Pyrites responded with a smile. "And of course it worked, my plans almost always work. They aren't 100% successful as I am here but other than my arrest they have worked out pretty well so far."

"You know what we need you to do." Harry said reproachfully. "I want weekly updates or else I may shock you and really odd hours."

"I'll work my magic, just you wait." Pyrites said before offering his hand to Harry. Harry paused for a minute before taking it with a nod at their forced ally. "Until we meet again in the capital. Avatar. You will hear from me within a week, don't worry."

With that Pyrites walked over to the satomobile got in, turned the key and drove off in a southward direction without another word. There was no road there but Harry had moved the sub so far up the beach that they could unload the vehicle onto flat grasslands. Harry could "see" a road in the distance so they would soon be on their way. His friends gathered around him awaiting his orders.

"Let's get moving." Harry said and they all went to the truck. Ron got in the driver's seat while Harry and Neville joined him in the cab for navigation. The girls hoped in the back and Ron put the truck into gear. "Let's go find the Sun Warriors."

"You sure we can trust him?" Ron asked as they crossed the grass and pulled on to the road. "Given his track record he isn't a trustworthy person."

"We're going to have too." Harry said as they began to drive into the heart of the Fire Nation. Harry had only ever seen the Royal Palace when he had been in the nation last and he marvelled at the scenic natural beauty of the region they were in. "Besides, we can trust his desire for freedom and his selfishness to do what is best for himself, which at this moment in time is working with us. It is a risk but one that we knew we would have to take in order to accomplish this mission and free the Fire Nation from tyranny."

"Do you have any idea where we are going?" Ginny asked from the back compartment. "Cos I don't see a map up front with you three."

"Of course I know where we're supposed to go." Ron said defiantly in a tone that implied he had absolutely no idea where they were going and was just driving in a vague direction and hoping for the best. "I checked before we left Pyrites' storage island. But just to be safe anyone know roughly where the Sun Warriors Ancient City is located."

"Men." Ginny muttered. "For some reason y'all can't ask for directions or help when you need it and Luna do not make a sexual reference right now, I am exhausted from driving that sub and not in the mood for it."

"Fine be a spoilsport." Luna pouted from the back. "Harry, you should probably give your girlfriend a good hard fucking later to help relieve her stress."

Harry just went red as he heard Ginny growl from the back. Luna was almost certainly looking very innocent in the back and he was certain the Ginny would get some revenge on her best friend later.

"Anyway, men are never lost." Ron said reverting the conversation back on topic causing Harry and Neville to laugh at the truth of Ron's statement.

"What about that time in Ba Sing Se when we circumnavigated an entire district in the Lower Ring while you looked for a blacksmith who happened to be on the other side of the city." Luna asked sweetly. "And in the Middle Ring."

"I was taking the scenic route." Ron said a little color coming to his cheeks. "As I recall, we were not lost, I just like going round and round in circles."

Harry heard Ginny slap her forehead with her hand as he laughed again. Fortunately Neville came to their rescue before Luna could list another time Ron had gotten lost in Ba Sing Se. His best friend may be able to track a polar bear dog across the Antarctic tundra and navigated on foot across land but put him in an unfamiliar city with a few million people and Ron was clueless as to where to go.

"Head west." Neville said.

"Aren't we currently going north." Luna said.

"Yup so Ron is already lost." Ginny added. "I do believe that this is a new record."

"There's one road here and it ain't a good one." Ron replied as they bounced on a pothole. "You would think that for a nation as perfect as that bitch claims it to be it would have a decent infrastructure for travelling through it. All that wealth redistribution she claims to be doing should go to actually infrustracture improvements and not into whatever she is using it on."

"Remember who runs this place now." Harry said. "Likely she doesn't give a shit about the roads in a back country. From the few defectors who have managed to escape and survive we know that she is focused on industry and military. The rest apparently goes into her and her cronies pockets as reparations for the past injustices of the elites. Though yes she could have used some of her forced laborers to build better roads rather than working them to death in factories and mines, at least this way they are improving the nation and have a lesser chance of dying. Not that she should be using slave labor to begin with as most of those enslaved by here are for crimes that wouldn't be crimes in a free society, like questioning her tyrannical regime."

"Take the next road west." Neville said looking at a map he had pulled from the glovebox. "From what I have heard the Sun Warriors live at the base of the western mountains. Unfortunately that is a large mountain range so it might be hard to find and is likely going to be heavily guarded."

"What do you know of the Sun Warriors Neville." Ginny said then when Ron began to open his mouth she added. "No Ron, you don't get to speak after getting us lost in a straight line. You drive and try not to get us lost, again."

Mollified by Ginny's tone Ron grumbled but shut up and focused on the road mumbling under his breath about how much like their mother Ginny could be. Harry hoped that Ginny hadn't heard that or else she would have shown Ron exactly how much like Princess Consort Molly, Ginny could be.

"Well we know they live out west because during the 100 year war General Iroh was known as The Dragon of the West." Neville began as he passed the map to Harry so that he could talk while Harry tried to navigate, a bad idea in Harry's mind. "Though that was because they thought he had killed the last 2 known dragons not saved them as he actually did. After the war when Zuko restored the true nature of firebending from the corruption his great-grandfather had wrought upon it, he returned to the Sun Warriors to seek their permission to reveal their society. This was after Zuko spent several years dealing with other shit in both the Fire Nation and budding United Republic. It took some persuasion but eventually the Sun Warriors agreed to return and teach their understanding of firebending to now peaceful Fire Nation. However the location of their city was not publicly revealed other than it being in the west as it was declared a cultural sight in need of preservation by Zuko. The ruins are there and many know the rough area but few knew that their culture still prevailed until they agreed to rejoin Fire Nation society."

"What about the dragons?" Luna asked. "We are heading to where they are located so it would be best to know a little about them as well."

"With the drastic change in the Fire Nation under Zuko the dragons became a protected and revered species once more as they are the original firebenders." Neville said with a hint of reverence for the majestic creatures. "Zuko created a mission to restore their population from the brink of extinction. It received global attention and to this day still exists as dragons aren't the most proactive breeders due to their long lives."

As he was speaking they had come to a fork in the road and Ron had taken the westward one. In the distance Harry could make out the mountain range that made up most of the western coast and hopped that it was their destination.

"Can I just point out that we landed on the western coast so technically I was never going in the wrong direction." Ron said with a grin.

"No because you still just set off heading north without asking for directions." Ginny retorted. "So we are going to stop in the first town we come to and Harry and I will get out and ask for directions. I wouldn't be surprised if Hermione has tried to protect both with a sizable military force and completely ignored their wishes to remain secret all in the name of protecting their culture from us while no doubt forcing her own upon their ancient culture."

"It would be her M.O." Harry said. "Ignore the wishes of the culture she is trying to protect by inflicting her own version of protection and preservation upon them with absolute disregard for their own unique culture and practices. She's likely forced them to change anything she sees as wrong to her without caring or even finding out if it is sacrilegious to them."

"Wouldn't surprise me." Neville said. "Back when she was in the Fire House she would go on these rants about how evil the Firelord was, as well as the whole notion of aristocracy and purity. I agree on the purity part but the Fire Nation has always had an aristocracy and a Firelord and other than the 100 year war we have been a peaceful society often governed by benevolent Firelords who are taught from birth to be kind and decent rulers. Course the very nature of fire is that it is unpredictable so we have had a few bad leaders who make the office look evil but you can't judge all based on the actions of a few. Frankly most of the population couldn't give a shit about the government in the capital so long as they can live out their lives as they see fit."

"It also wouldn't surprise me if she tried to protect a group because they are a minority and completely ignored parts of that culture's beliefs." Ron said. Harry stared at his friend with curiosity at his statement so Ron continued. "I can't think of an example right now but people like Hermione often try to protect a minority group that is living in their nation or are immigrants to said nation from discrimination. That in and of itself is a good thing but she might overlook a particular group's culture which could include horrific human rights abuses or discrimination against women, homosexuals, other differing faiths, excreta because of that group's minority or religious status. It's a strange hypocrisy but one that occasionally occurs when certain radicals, and Hermione fits that description, decide that while they support certain groups, they will ignore a protected group's own intolerances. She will bully and abuse those who oppose the negatives of a particular group just because they oppose that group. This is because she will do what is right while ignoring actual issues at hand that she claims to support. An example I guess would be a minority group that treats women as second class citizens, a fact she will ignore despite claiming to support women, because of that minority group's status."

Harry and the others were silent at Ron's words. They all knew that Ron was right on that front. From the little he had known of and interacted with Hermione, he had noticed that she was as bigoted as people like Draco where and discriminated against any who opposed her views. He had often heard here in the Fire House common room calling for greater diversity, be it national origin, spiritual beliefs, LGBT status, gender, or whatever wasn't main stream, while also denouncing diversity of opinion or problems within certain communities that went against her own views.

It was no wonder that given the chance to run an autocratic regime under her own views that she would discriminate as much, if not more, than those on the other extreme to her but discriminate against different things like banning all opinions that differed from her own. It was why they needed to stop her.

They drove in relative silence for another hour or so as Harry looked at the surrounding scenery. His only time in the Fire Nation before this he had never left the Royal Palace as there had been so much to do there and he marveled at the contrast. Most of the landscape was grasslands produced by volcanoes and rolling hills with mountains in the distance. Harry knew that this was not a sightseeing trip but he did hope that they would get a chance to see more of the nation.

As they traveled they passed a few other military looking trucks on the road but that was it. Harry was glad that they wouldn't look out of place in their vehicle but he was still nervous about meeting any of the locals as he had no idea what to expect. Every now and then they saw a factory billowing steam into the air or a mining operation surrounded by a military vehicles. At least once they drove past a prisoner transport vehicle that was heading towards one of the factories they had passed. It may have been beautiful but Harry got a feeling of oppression and imbalance from the place as they drove. The nation had been yoked by a dictator and he could feel it in the energy of the place. It was like there was a boot on the nation's back and it was pressing the people into the ground.

Finally they saw a small, forgotten, village on the horizon. Peeling off the road about a mile from the place, they parked the truck and got out to stretch after almost 2 hours on the bumpy road. Ron instantly began to relieve himself on the side of the road with a very contented sigh. Harry stretched and made sure he had plenty of money, his water skin, and his swords. As he was trying to not earth or metalbend he had to leave his metal spools with his stuff in the truck and only take his swords. He had the water skin just in case as it looked like something a traveller would carry and if things got desperate he had fire, earth and airbending to fall back on before using his weakest element.

"Right I know Ginny suggested that me and her go into this village but I think it should be Neville and me who go in." Harry said once Ron was back from pissing onto the road.

"Why." Ginny demanded her hands on her hips and looking a lot like her mother in that moment. "I thought I said that I would go with you."

"Because Neville is the only Fire Nation citizen among us." Harry said raising his hands in surrender. "So he is less likely to be seen as an outsider to a village that likely hasn't seen a non-Fire Nation citizen since long before Hermione's reign of terror began. I can pull of the colonist descendent look which is more plausible than complete newcomers. Remember we are dealing with an oppressed society that almost certainly has a secret police force who would follow us if they saw you, Luna or Ron. At least let us gage the village then we should know more. Best to not stick out during our first contact here."

Ginny looked a little less irritated at Harry's words but still wasn't happy so he decided to sweeten the pot for her. Harry did like his balls attached to his body after all.

"Besides if you stay here you and Luna can beat Ron into submission about finding the dragon habitat." Harry pointed out. "And then beat Luna for her comments earlier while also preventing them from fucking in the back of the van."

At this Ginny perked up with a wicked grin.

"Hey I know where we are going." Ron said defensively.

"And I wasn't going to fuck my fiancé." Luna said to which Harry raised an eyebrow at her. "Ok fine, I wasn't going to fuck him in the van, this is beautiful countryside for another outdoor exhibitionist session."

"Er if I get a say I would prefer the truck." Ron said.

"Awe, that's sweet that you think you have a say." Luna said cuddling up to her fiancé. "You may be my master in bed, but I chose where to let you in."

"I am putting a stop to this now." Ginny said firmly and forcefully. "Ron, you don't know where the fuck we are going, that's why we are here remember. So, while Harry and Neville are off scouting that town, you and I will be looking at the map and planning not only this route but all other routes we may take as we will likely have to go to Fire Fountain City, Jang Hui and Shu Jing before we head to the capital. This is to assess the state of the Fire Nation and we have 3 months to kill."

"She's right the eastern islands will likely be the hardest for Hermione to control so we may be able to find more resistance out there." Neville said. "Plus it will allow us to see how her social programs actually help the poor and rural folk of my nation."

"Fine." Ron said in defeat before looking around and noticing that Luna had disappeared during Ginny's rant. "Guys, where is my fiancé?"

They quickly found Luna meditating in the back of the truck. Judging by the stillness she was either in the Spirit World or projecting her astral form somewhere in the local area.

"I'm not sure why she's meditating but she probably has some reason to do so." Ginny said. "And it prevents you from getting distracted. Harry, Neville, get moving and get back as quickly as possible. Come Ron, lets plan out our route."

Harry heard Ron moan and laughed as he and Neville set off on foot for the village in the distance. It took them 20 minutes to reach it but when they did, Harry could feel the oppression in the air. It was a small village with a handful of houses, an inn with a bar and restaurant, and a convenience shop, all along a single road with a small town center in the middle.

However all that paled in comparison to the posters, banners and signs that had been erected everywhere. They all depicted Hermione's beaming face. There were 5 large banners with her face each with a different word. Equality. Wisdom. Balance. Benevolence. Enlightenment. To cap off the attempt to forge a cult of personality, a large statue of Hermione in all her glory and holding a scroll that Harry was certain was supposed to represent her 'Enlightened Law' stood in heart of the town center. It all made Harry a little sick at the self-aggrandizing propaganda but he knew that any despot worth his or her salt would do so to foster a cult of personality. Kuvira's had been very effective in her day but Harry doubted that Hermione's was as much so.

"Welcome to the Fire Utopia the most equal and harmonious nation in the world." Harry read as he inspected a large poster on a nearby wall, there were several of them on all the walls of the village. "Under the leadership, guidance and vision of our glorious and enlightened Fire Empress, Hermione the Savior, slayer of tyrants, restorer of equality, preserver of balance, the Fire Utopia has become a beacon of hope, equality and prosperity for all. Thanks to her enlightened leadership the aristocracy has been wiped out and their wealth redistributed to those who had been historically and systematically oppressed. All who have sought to oppose and overthrow our benevolent Empress have been rightfully arrested and dealt with as she sees fit. Rejoice for the shackles of oppression and the yoke of servitude have been lifted thanks to Empress Hermione and the Enlightened. Soon the rest of the world will see our glory and follow our enlightened views as well. Praise to Fire Empress Hermione the Savior, may she always lead us with her wise and enlightened views."

Looking around to make sure they weren't being watched Harry ignited a corner on the poster and burnt the offensive poster to ashes. Harry could tell that this was a load of utter bullshit. He had never felt a more oppressed place in his life. The propaganda, the military presence they had passed on the roads, the forced servitude of prisoners it was all what Hermione claimed to oppose and yet that was exactly what she was doing. The whole place was out of balance and it made him sick.

"Harry." Neville said with a hint of nervousness in his voice.

Harry looked up and saw two soldiers walking towards them down the street. They were both dressed in blood red tunics and coal black pants. One looked like a sergeant while the other a private. They both had swords at their sides and walked with a confident air that let Harry know that the men knew they were in charge here and exploited it.

"Sergeant." Harry said addressing the more senior soldier.

"Who the fuck are you." The sergeant demanded of Harry. It wasn't a question but an order.

"I am just a poor citizen trying to find his way." Harry said with a smile adding before he could resist. "And it is nice to meet you too."

"What is your occupation." The man ordered. "All citizens in her Empress' enlightened utopia have a job that they have to do as ordered by her as part of her everyone must work policy. Your friend looks like a factory worker though the nearest factory is 10 miles away but you just look like a piece of gutter scum."

"Occupation?" Harry asked, that was a little nugget of new information to file away for the future.

"In order to run the Fire Utopia all citizens must work, per Empress Hermione the Savior's orders." The sergeant repeated. "All children are trained in a vocation based on a standardized test implemented by her enlightened majesty and then trained by the state in that vocation so that when they reach 16 they can further the Fire Utopia by working for the state. Only by controlling the means of production can the state achieve its goals, ensure that everyone has a job, and all do their part in our glorious utopia. All must work, failure to do so will constitute treason to our Empress and he enlightened views. You will be deemed guilty, arrested and sent to the mines until you die down there serving her enlightened majesty."

"Ah I see, yes I do have a vocation." Harry said restraining his anger at the man's words.

It was yet another form of forced labor for the state, how was this equality when all were forced to work. Equality was equality of opportunity not equality of outcome. Equality was the right to choose one's own future, not be forced to do something for the betterment of the whole. Humans were not hive minded insects, they were not a collective, they were sentient individuals who should be allowed to think and chose for themselves.

"So what is it." The man ordered clearly not amused with Harry.

"I'm a dragon breeder." Harry said hoping his gamble would pay off. "I just had a few days off so I came here with my buddy to relax in this charming little village."

"There are no days off in the Fire Utopia." The sergeant said. Clearly he believed Hermione's bullshit.

Harry theorized that he must have been one of the unemployed, poor, beaten down nonbenders who saw Hermione's new order as a way to benefit themselves and move up in life while also settling a few scores in the process. He had a feeling that this conversation might go is a very specific, almost certainly violent, direction.

"All must work." The sergeant repeated. "We are only equal if all have jobs. Only through all working can all be provided for by the state and our benevolent and enlightened Empress. We all must work together for the glory of the Empress and the continuation of the Fire Utopia."

Harry was struggling to understand how this man could seriously believe Hermione's bullshit. She was forcing her own citizens to work for her, likely for little to no pay and meagre rations, and believe that those policies made them equal. True jobs were important to make any society work but this was ridiculous.

"I get that so just point me in the direction of the dragon habitat and I'll be going back to work with the utmost haste." Harry said with forced calm. He was certain that this would not end well.

"Follow the road north for 54 miles then take the mountain pass road to the west and you will reach the dragon habitat." The private said helpfully. "We all know where it is over here as the dragon repopulation is a very important policy for our Empress."

Harry studied the private and realized just how young he was, barely 16 so likely new and helpful. It would be a shame to hurt him but Harry really didn't see another way out of this based on how the sergeant had been reacting to hi,.

"Fool he's clearly not a dragon breeder." The sergeant said cuffing the private hard on the back of his head. "The dragons are the most protected species in the world and are all property of the Empress. Those who breed and train them are protected by the military at all time, as are the Sun Warriors, so as to ensure their safety and continued work restoring those noblest of creatures to the world. They're work is so important that they are never allowed to leave their posts. To do so would constitute desertion and treason and ensure them a swift, and public, execution as prescribed by our enlightened laws."

"The Sun Warriors don't need protection." Neville butted in and Harry could hear the anger in his friend's voice at what was being done to his country. "They are a peaceful culture who have lived in this nation for millennia."

"The Empress has ordered that all indigenous cultures must be protected from outside influence that may seek to corrupt, abuse or exploit them and thus destroy their precious cultures." The sergeant retorted. "Therefore in her infinite and infallible wisdom, Empress Hermione the Savior has ordered them to be protected from those seeking to harm and destroy them with their racist views. Of course they must adhere to the Empress' high standards of equality and acceptance but they will not be discriminated against upon based on their culture ever again."

"Ok. well on that note we'll just be off." Harry said. He had only spoken to one authority figure here and already he knew it would be bad, hopefully they could leave before the situation went from bad to worse.

"You're not from around here, are you boy." The sergeant said narrowing his eyes at Harry. "You're coming with me, both of you."

"On what charge?" Neville asked. "We have rights you know. They are called human rights for a reason and one such right is the right to due process."

"No you don't." The sergeant replied with a laugh. "As part of her enlightened majesty's army, I have the authority to arrest anyone without charge so long as I suspect them of doing anything that is not in 100% alignment with our enlightened Empress' views. I even have the power to declare you guilty until proven innocent of whatever crime I deem fit because anyone who is not with the Empress is against here and therefore guilty. Only those who follow her perfect, enlightened. laws to the letter and agree with her on equality have any rights in the Fire Utopia. All others as dissidents, rebels and traitors, which you two clearly are, will be punished as such. Consider yourselves both guilty of failure to work for the Empress, which is a treasonous offense, and under arrest. Enjoy the mines, cunts."

"You have no idea who you are fucking with." Harry said with a grim smile and cracking his knuckles. "Come on bitch, try and take me in, I fucking dare you. I am going to enjoy smashing your intolerant face in."

Harry didn't care anymore. They had what they had come for and learned a little about the current situation. Clearly this asshole enjoyed the power he had been given and harry knew that this was the type of person who followed Hermione and provided her with the support she needed to maintain control in the Fire Nation. Harry knew that Hermione didn't care if fuckers like this sergeant got the results she wanted.

Now this asshole was going to try and arrest Harry simply because he didn't agree with Hermione. How could a nation truly be equal if they were only allowed to think one way and follow the views of a ruthless, petulant, easily offended, despot to the letter. Harry was going to end Hermione's reign of oppression and see that she was justly punished for her crimes so that she might never again hurt anyone who didn't think exactly like her.

The man smirked and walked forward holding out a pair of cuffs to arrest Harry with. Clearly he hadn't faced a skilled fighter who could put up some form of resistance in a while but Harry knew he couldn't bend lest he accidentally give himself away. Well he could firebend if he wanted to but Harry was so pissed off at this fucker that he was going to defeat him without the need for bending.

Harry batted the sergeant's arm away from him as soon as the soldier mad a move to cuff Harry. Before the startled man could react, he had clearly not expected resistance to his lawful orders, Harry grabbed the back of his tunic, pulled the sergeant to him, kneed him hard in the gut so that he doubled over, and slammed him head first into the unyielding stone wall of a nearby building. The sergeant crumpled to the ground unconscious, his nose bloody and broken and missing several teeth.

Harry heard the scrapping sound of a sword being drawn and turned to face the other soldier. The boy had his sword out but it was shaking slightly, his eyes wide at the sudden violent defeat of his superior. Harry smiled and was about to offer the kid a chance to surrender, he was just a kid who was in over his head, when the private yelled and made a clumsy swing at Harry. Harry easily ducked under it and punched the private in the gut causing him to double over in pain and drop his sword with a clatter. While he was bent over Harry kneed him in the face sending him sprawling onto his back. The boy was out cold.

"Let's go Neville." Harry said to his friend. It had all happened so quickly that Neville still hadn't reacted other than to blink at the two unconscious soldiers. "We got what we came for."

Neville nodded and they turned and ran out of the village and back to the truck. Harry was a little confused as to why no one in the village had come out during the confrontation but chalked it up to either they were at whatever jobs Hermione was forcing them to do or hiding inside from fear of the soldiers. It had been very satisfying to smash the sergeant's face in but they had to get out of the area as fast as possible.

When they got there they found Ron and Ginny perusing the map on the hood of the truck while Luna was lying on the ground next to them, staring absently into the sky. Noticing their flushed faces the others quickly got in the truck and they set off at once.

"Head north for 54 miles." Harry gasped when they were on the road.

When Ron got to the village he swerved around the still unconscious soldiers and continued on the road through the village. In moments the village was in their rear and they were on their way.

"What happened?" Ginny asked once they were clear of the village and knew that they weren't being followed.

Harry quickly recounted the interaction they had had with the soldiers in the village as well as the poster he had burned. There had been numerous other posters and banners, and a damn statue, but he hadn't had time to destroy them.

"That cunt." Luna said when Harry was done. "Doing all that to her own people. Doesn't she see how oppressive she really is."

"She has warped her views so much that she thinks is justified in her actions." Ron said. "She likely believes she is acting for the greater good and as such the ends justify the means, no matter how many die along the way. There will be no reasoning with her just as there was no reasoning with Voldemort."

"What I didn't understand was why he expected you to not resist arrest." Neville said. "You clearly weren't going to go quietly and neither of us were acting like the downtrodden peasants they were certainly expecting us to be."

"It's probably due to all the oppression over the last 5 years." Ron said as he drove. "They have been beaten into submission by the cruelty of Hermione's regime to the point that the authorities don't expect any resistance to their orders. They have come to expect to be obeyed or face the wrath of Hermione and wouldn't expect someone to ignore their arrest attempt and instead smash their face into a wall. That or in a quiet, insignificant village like that one they don't expect confrontation."

Harry just nodded at Ron's words as he thought about that and all that they had learned as they continued to drive north. So far he had been in the Fire Nation less than a day and already Harry knew it was worse than any of them could have possibly imagined. Harry knew that he had to do everything in his power to free this nation from Hermione's tyranny.

When they reached the turn and began to head towards the mountains that housed the Sun Warriors and the dragon habitat Harry noticed a steady increase in military presence in the surrounding area. Clearly Hermione wanted this area protected but did she really want the dragons protected for their safety or did she want them for something else, Harry couldn't tell. Whatever the case, there was no way that any of the breeders or trainers would get out of this area without a fight.

"Pull into that rest area." Harry said pointing to a small picnic area on the side of the mountain that they had begun to drive up. "I have a feeling that the military presence is going to get worse once we get to the other side of the mountain. We don't want to draw attention to ourselves just yet."

Ron did as Harry suggested and soon they had stopped again. Harry got out and retracted his boots as he closed his eyes so he use his seismic sense. He was right there was a large build up people on the other side of the mountain but fortunately none nearby.

Opening his eyes and extending a hand towards the mountainside, Harry quickly opened up the earth so that the truck could fit in then covered the entrance to their makeshift cave after he had followed them inside, leaving enough holes to get air in but small enough to be unnoticed. The others had gotten out and lit lamps so that they could see.

"Ok there is a large presence on the other side of the mountain." Harry said once they were all out and sitting in a lamplit circle on the cave's floor. "Just at the edge of my range but there is definitely something on the other side."

"What's the plan?" Ginny asked.

"As soon as night falls you, me, and Ron will dress all in the black stealth suites Pyrites had on his island and head through the mountain and scout out the area." Harry said. "I am sure that it is a military camp of some sort and it may tell us where the trainers and breeders are. It could also be where they are keeping them under the guise of protecting them."

"Why us?" Ron asked. "Wait stupid question we are going to find our brother. Sorry been driving too long. We need to sort out a driving schedule at some point."

"Let's all rest and then move in a few hours." Harry said and the others nodded and began to make camp.

Harry didn't realize he had nodded off from all the exhaustion of the day until he was woken a few hours later by Ginny telling him it was dark. The others were all awake by now and eating a light, cold meal. After some food Harry, Ron and Ginny changed into a set of black stealth clothes similar to what they had worn to arrest Ambassador Parkinson back in Ba Sing Se and set off deeper through the mountain. Luna and Neville would stay and look after the camp.

Ron and Ginny each took a torch with them while Harry blindfolded himself and guided them though the mountain with his bending and to the other side. Being an earthbender it made traveling through a mountain much easier that around it and it was safer as they couldn't be spotted while they were underground. Soon they reached the other side and as soon as the cost was clear Ron and Ginny extinguished their torches and Harry opened a hole for them to get out.

The moon was nearly full so it provided plenty of visibility and from their perch on the side of the mountain. Harry and the Southern Water Tribe siblings could see into the valley below them by the light of the moon and stars. It was a military camp alright but there were some civilian looking tents in the center of it. In the distance Harry could make out a few large caves near the tops of the mountains. This was definitely where the few dragons were.

"I assume we are going to sneak in underground and into the camp." Ron said with a grin.

"Of course." Harry said. "And hopefully we find Charlie's tent on the first attempt."

They crept down the mountain in silence. Harry using subtle earthbending to mask any noise, Ron and Ginny just using years of hunting wild animals on the Southern Tundra to stay quiet. They made their way to the perimeter fence of the camp as fast as they could before Harry earthbent them back into the ground. Once again they were sneaking underneath Hermione's forces to their destination.

With Harry's earthbending and the lights from the others that Harry had lit as soon as they were completely underground again, they quickly made their way into the heart of the camp. Once they were under a tent they would go up and peak at the occupant to see if it was Charlie. It wasn't until the 15th small tent that they found him.

Charlie was the only one of Ron's brothers Harry had never met as he had graduated the year before Harry had started at the Academy. Charlie was sleeping on his back on a cot that was against one of the walls of the tent. Harry could tell that he was shorter than Ron but stockier and more muscular with several scars and a few burns on his arms, almost from the dragons. Like the rest of his siblings, Charlie had tattoos though from what Harry could tell it was an entire arm sleeve of a dragon, disrupted by the scars and burns on the man's arm.

The trio crept over and Harry bent down covering Charlie's mouth so that he wouldn't alert the guards. The action woke the big guy but as he began to struggle a look of shock and fear in his eyes, the surprise tangling him in his blanket so he couldn't hurt them.

Ron and Ginny removed their masks grinning down at their startled brother. This calmed him once he recognized his younger siblings, despite their changed appearances.

"Ron, Ginny" Charlie whispered once Harry had removed his hand form Charlie's mouth, confusion clear on his face. "What the fuck are you doing here?"

"We are here to free the Fire Nation from tyranny." Ginny whispered back. "And to make sure you are alright, mom's orders."

"And we aren't alone." Ron whispered back as Harry removed his own mask causing Charlie's eyes to go wide in recognition.

"Avatar Harry?"

 **I couldn't resist leaving the chapter on that ending. The only thing to note after this is that this is not the last we shall see of Pyrites. While the next 10 or so chapters will deal with Team Avatar's adventures, we will see what Pyrites has been getting up too a little later on. Otherwise, get ready for the brief introduction of one of the few Harry Potter major characters who has not yet been seen in this series in the next chapter, which will be released at the usual time. As always, keep letting me know what you think in the reviews, any questions there or in PMs will be answered at the start of next week's chapter and anything constructive will be listened too. Until next week.**

 **Stringdog**


	9. Chapter 9

**Here is the 9th chapter of Book 2 on time as always. Once again there is nothing new to add here so sit back and enjoy the latest installment in Avatar: The Tale of Harry. Book 2: Equality.**

 **Disclaimer: As always I won nothing related to either of these two great works of fiction.**

 **Chapter 9**

"In the flesh." Harry answered with a smile to Charlie's question.

"What are the three of you doing here?" Charlie asked as he sat up on his cot. "Don't you know how dangerous it is in the Fire Nation right now? Come to think of it, how are you three here? Last I heard there was a blockade preventing anyone from entering the nation."

"Charlie, we know full well how dangerous it is here." Ron said. "But we had to come to the Fire Nation. The nation is in an imbalance under the tyranny that Hermione has been putting it through and the Avatar has come here to rectify that imbalance and restore the Fire Nation to balance."

"Aye it has been shit here for the last 5 years." Charlie said with a nod. "I should have left to join y'all at the Academy when dad contacted me a few weeks before the final battle against Voldemort. Y'all would have been in Zaofu at the time but I couldn't leave the dragons, they need us as there are so few with the skills to breed and train them. Hagrid and I are the only two here who truly understand these majestic creatures and who can get them to breed with any success. All the military wants is to harness them as weapons, tools to further Hermione's stranglehold on the nation. They don't want to reintroduce these beautiful creatures into the wild the way the Firelords did."

"Hagrid?" Harry asked. "Who's he."

"The head beast master here." Charlie replied. "Big bloke, almost 8 feet tall at least and built like a brick shit house. He's a firebender but he left school at a young age to come here to help train the dragons so he ain't the most skilled bender but he loves the dragons and they love him. Without him the species may have died out, he has a way with large and powerful creatures that few others could match."

"So he's against the way Hermione wants to use them?" Ginny asked. "We had no idea that Hermione wanted to use the dragons for until now but given her current quest to oppress her own nation into submission this makes complete sense for her to do."

"Without question is he against her plans for the dragons." Charlie said with a hint of anger in his voice. "As are almost all of us here, except those who are loyal to Hermione. Hagrid would have been sent to a labor camp by now for disagreeing with Hermione, to her face no less, but he and I are the only trainers and breeders here who the dragons respond positively to. The others are all trainees who have yet to earn the dragon's trust or are Hermione's people, the latter of which just want to enslave the dragons to help enforce her rule and the borders of her supposed utopia. It's disgusting but we can't really say much, especially me cos if she finds out about dad I get to join Izra in the palace dungeons as a valuable hostage. The second in line for the Chiefdom of the Southern Water Tribe could be used to force dad to back off Hermione should I be found out and caught."

"Hermione has been here?" Ron asked, the surprise clear in his voice. "Oh and Bill had a daughter last year so you are now third in line unless she is an airbender."

Harry realized this may be the perfect time to truly learn what Hermione had been up to, at least in regard to this aspect of Fire Nation society. The dragon revelation was a new one and one that was not good as a dragon could be a powerful weapon of war if trained as such.

"A few times yes." Charlie admitted just shrugging at his drop in the line of succession. "Came here within a month after she murdered Iroh with a full garrison of soldiers, all already loyal to her. After ordering us to kneel and swear fealty to her or die, she told us that she wanted us to train the dragons for military purposes. We of course told her no at first, a word that entitled bitch seems to not get very often these days. Suffice it to say that Hermione did not take that very well. She proceeded to have the then head beast master, a crazy old earthbender called Silvanus who loved the dragons as much as they loved him and his limbs, summarily executed on the spot for his treason to the Fire Utopia."

"Treason?" Harry asked though without much shock as Hermione's standard for treason was apparently disagreeing with her on anything. "All because he wouldn't train the dragons to kill for her."

"Yup." Charlie said with a note of sadness in his voice. "Apparently anything against her wishes, which are binding law in the Fire Utopia, can be constituted as treason. Unbeknownst to us, she had already had the sanctuary here classified as a military zone so it was easy to deem any dissent as treason against her. Hagrid, as the second most senior trainer after Silvanus, took over as the head beast master and told her simply that she could kill him but after him there was jack shit that could be done about the dragons. At the time only he and Silvanus were qualified for the position of head trainer. It takes well over a decade to qualify for it as you have to build up trust with the dragons so Hermione couldn't just arbitrarily promote someone to position that required a specialized set of skills to hold. We don't raise them the way Hermione apparently envisioned we did, we just protect them and ensure that they can continue to breed. Dragons are immensely powerful and proud creatures and if they don't like you they will try to eat you. We are dealing with giant, flying, near sentient, fire breathing, lizards, not a herd of koala sheep. Sure we can train one or two as mounts and friends but the dragon has to see you as an equal to allow that."

"So how did Hermione get away with militarizing this area?" Ginny asked. "If y'all are needed to train and breed them."

"We still deal with the dragons on a daily basis as we are the only ones qualified to do so but are escorted to and from them by the military." Charlie said with a sigh. "We are kept under constant guard and can never leave the area. We are like many others slaves to Hermione's state run programs but we are better treated as there are only a few of us who can do this job."

"Surely there are others?" Harry asked. "The dragons seem to be very important to Hermione's long term plans, she must want as many trainers here as possible."

"That is very true Avatar." Charlie said with a nod. "Hermione keeps sending sycophants to aid her here as trainers that are loyal to her goals for the dragons. Most get eaten, something I don't lose sleep over as they want to enslave the dragons not preserve them, but a few are still active and working with the military to bring the dragons under their control. There is little Hagrid, myself, and the other trainers from before Hermione's dictatorship can do other than comply but we try our best to ensure that the dragons are never used as killing machines. We are fortunate in the fact that our positions are too valuable for Hermione to have us sent off to the slave labor camps she keeps for dissidents so we have a little more freedom than most do but we are still prisoners as we aren't paid and can't leave."

Harry was seething now. How could she treat the original firebenders like this or the people who volunteered and risked their lives to help restore the dragon population back to what it had been prior to the hunts of Sozin. Honestly, this was almost as bad as Sozin hunting the dragons to the brink of extinction, it was just a different hell that was being inflicted on the mighty creatures.

"Charlie do you think you can tell us about Hermione's rise to power and how the military got on her side?" Harry asked once his anger was back under control. "And what it's been like in the Fire Nation since she blocked it off from the rest of the world. All we have gotten is a mix of reports from those who have managed to escape who have described the oppression here, as well as Hermione's weekly speeches to masses of cheering supporters proclaiming the glory of her Fire Utopia as the only truly equal, tolerant, and just state in the world."

"Well that's a load of dragon shit." Charlie snorted. "And if the reports are bad then I'm afraid they are likely and understatement. I can tell you what I've learned from the military while here but as I said I've effectively been a prisoner here for the last 5 years so I don't know as much about the wider nation as I would like."

"Just start at the beginning." Ron said. "We are here to end her reign of terror but we need to know more first so as to figure out how to best destabilize her. When I remembered you were here we made this our first destination cos we wanted to make sure you were ok and get some info on what's been going on since the coup. We are effectively operating blind right now and that is not good when you are behind enemy lines."

"From what I have heard the military personal here say, it all began long before the coup." Charlie said with a frown as he thought about Ron's question. "Fortunately, I have more of an understanding of how the military was corrupted from within as only soldiers completely loyal to Hermione are sent here or any other strategically important location."

"How long ago did they begin this infiltration of the military?" Harry asked. "It makes sense that they would take over from within like a cancer, it would be the only way a small fringe group like the Enlightened could take command of an entire nation's military."

"I dunno when precisely but it probably began a decade or so before the coup if I had to guess given the level of infiltration they achieved." Charlie said with a thoughtful look. "As you probably already know, the Enlightened recruited first generation who they felt they could easily manipulate, brainwash and control. They would become known as the Chosen. They currently serve as enforcers, leaders and bodyguards to Hermione but that wasn't all, they also infiltrated the military. Some officers were bribed, others blackmailed, others planted so that when the time was right they could stab any seniors in the back and take over, and others were promised promotion over more qualified officers in exchange for their loyalty. It was as you put it like infecting a body with a virus or cancer, the disease spread and went unchecked due to the Purists. When they were ready to strike, we were defenseless."

"What do you know of that strike?" Ginny asked. "We were a little preoccupied at the time to focus on the internal machinations of the Fire Nation military."

"Just what I have been told but I do know that they waited until Iroh sent the military to the United Republic to help defeat Voldemort to strike." Charlie said. "From what I have gathered the members of the military loyal to the Enlightened weren't high enough to be sent to fight Voldemort. This was fortuitous for them as they remained to command the home guard. During the Battle of the Elemental Academy, the acting head of the Air Force was General Creevey, and the Navy was Admiral Thomas. Both are nonbenders and both were and still are in the pocket of the Enlightened. As soon as the word was given that the battle had started, they took command of the forces, seized control of the military central headquarters and initiated the blockade in the name of the Enlightened. It was a swift, silent, but still pretty bloody coup against the remaining Iroh loyalists in the military."

"One thing the Enlightened are is clever, I'll give them that." Ron said shaking his head. "That plan took years of patience to pull off but they did so to perfection. While we were distracted, they gained control of an entire military and walled off the most isolated nation in the world."

"What about Hermione?" Harry asked bringing the conversation back on topic. "Do you know what she did?"

"According to the troops here, while y'all were defeating Voldemort and ending his evil once and for all Hermione and a team of chosen went to the Royal Palace and murdered Iroh." Charlie said as he got back into the story of the coup. "At the same time the communications building was taken down along with other press outlets and the main internal police and investigation centers in the capital. As soon as that happened, Hermione attacked and killed Iroh, though those details are still unknown, and proclaimed herself the new Fire Empress. She officially dismissed the military leaders who had followed Iroh's orders to join the war on Voldemort and elevated her supports to the new leaders. Unofficially those leaders were already either dead or quietly executed after the fact so that they could not threaten Hermione's regime. The rank and file had to obey the orders to form the blockade that Thomas and Creevey gave and any attempt to stop it is an immediate death sentence for treason, carried out via a public execution.

"Makes sense." Ron said with a nod. "Best way to ensure compliance from your soldiers and populace is through fear and what better way to inspire said fear than by publically executing dissenters to show the punishment for going against Hermione's wishes."

"You always did have a head for this kind of shit Ron." Charlie said to which Ron just solemnly nodded before Charlie continued. "After her declaration of autocratic rule, Hermione replaced all the senior advisors to Iroh who hadn't been captured or killed for treason with her own people who are little more than pandering sycophants who praise her and follow her every whim as if it was gospel law. Very much like the Death Eaters did with Voldemort but that's beside the point. Over the next year, Hermione consolidated her power by brutally putting down any dissent to her enlightened views. Any criticism of her has been deemed to be hate speak and punishable by at least a decade of forced labor. Any idea that wasn't in line with hers was policed and removed from society. All former nobility who refused to hand over their wealth to her were arrested and sent to labor camps if they were lucky, or executed in the capital if they weren't. The same was for members of any political party opposed to even one of her views. Any attempted uprisings were crushed and the leaders publicly executed to dissuade others as Ron pointed out. After she had 108 rebel leaders and their followers burned alive in a mass execution in what she calls Freedom Square in the capital she crushed the will of the people. That was by far the worst single mass murder act she ordered, since then the will of the people has been broken and her rule has gone pretty much unchallenged for 4 years now."

"That's horrible." Ginny said as she covered her mouth in revulsion. Harry too had to avoid throwing up at the sound of such a vile act of evil, and all just because they opposed her views. "How can she get away with this?"

"She does so by claiming that it is all for the greater good of society." Charlie said and Harry could hear the pain in the trainer's voice. "Hermione believes that the collective is more important than the individual and as such individual rights must be sacrificed for the good of the masses. She honestly believes that by executing these people, she is in fact saving many more from evil. I honestly don't understand it as we were raised to believe in the power of the individual and one's own natural rights but for Hermione, the state is supreme and dictates what her citizens can do."

"What do you know of her domestic policy?" Harry asked deciding it was best to turn away from the atrocities Hermione had committed in the name of protecting her citizens and instead wondering what she was actually doing for said citizens with her absolute power. "We learned a little on the way here but not enough to fully understand the situation."

"Hermione proclaims that we are all equal here when in fact everyone is just paid the same pittance to avoid a wage gap, we all have to work long hours at whatever job we are assigned and any words against here could mean a life sentence in the labor camps or an execution depending on Hermione's mood or how sadistic the Chosen sent to deal with the situation is." Charlie spat. "The forced industrialization by the now state owned factories have caused famine in areas leading to I don't know how many deaths but if I had to guess it is over a million at this point. The military is forced to stay either at the borders to keep the rest of the world out or at strategic locations like the Dragon Sanctuary and Royal Caldera City so the internal security is done by those loyal to Hermione or those who are looking to profit, sex and to exploit her rules. It is done by the Enforcers of Enlightenment, the new police force, the criminal gang known as the Blades who do her dirty work that she can't formally sanction, and by her secret police. All this is overseen by the Chosen who serve as her roving judges and executors of her laws."

"How bad is it at the very top?" Harry asked. "I know Hermione has complete control but has her power and policies created a corrupt upper class as has been theorized in the other nations."

"Without a doubt has her power created that." Charlie said with a nod. "Anything she says is law, it was like that under Iroh but at least Iroh got consent from the Fire Assembly before issuing a royal decree but that body no longer exists. For a few years there were 3 other Enlightened here to advise her but they left about a year ago and have since been declared traitors by Hermione in her last act of ensure complete and utter power. All the while the Chosen have become the new upper class. They are living it up in the mansions in the capital or the countryside, as is Hermione, given to them as reparations for perceived past injustices and out of loyalty to her. As a result many have become corrupted by their almost uncheck power so long as they don't oppose Hermione and have begun exploiting the people. All the while the bitch herself is championing that the whole nation is equal because there is no more wealth gap as all are paid the same regardless of job, experience, or work position, we all have jobs, and all those who think like her are treated fairly. Anything she has seen as an injustice in the past is now a crime punishable by a long stint in a labor prison where many have already been worked to death. The thing is she achieves all this through tyranny, fear, oppression and murder of any opposition and it is only equal for those who think like here. Any who think differently or who are from a previously historic oppressor, despite the fact that oppression really hasn't existed here since the end of the 100 year war, is now discriminated against in the name of justice."

"Well that explains my question on the forced work front." Harry said and when Charlie raised an eyebrow Harry elaborated on his and Neville's run in with a pair of soldiers several hours ago.

"Yeah there are those who like to exploit Hermione's views to get back at others, enrich themselves, and elevate their position in the Fire Utopia." Charlie said with a sigh. "Some soldiers enjoy the power they get for supporting Hermione's law as they can bully any they want and exploit people because they are immune from prosecution so long as they enforce Hermione's laws. The worst of that kind of people join the Fire Utopia Internal Commission on Ensuring Equality or the FUICEE which is the secret police. Think of the Dai Li during the 100 year war or under the Earth Queen and you get the picture on what the FUICEE does. Why such a long name I do not know but the attempted grandeur of it belies its malevolence. The job of the FUICEE is to root out dissidents, lock them up, interrogate them for intelligence and then make them disappear. Their leader, Director Arabella or as she is simply known, Director, is a zealot who is fanatically loyal to Hermione, as are a good portion of the agents in the FUICEE. Of all the groups, the FUICEE are feared the most due to their secrecy. Then there are the Blades."

"The Blades?" Ron asked. "You mentioned them earlier. I take it they are used like the Triads were used by Voldemort."

"Pretty much seeing as they started as a street gang of nonbenders who favored bladed weapons." Charlie said with a nod. "Sort of like the Equalists as they were birthed to oppose the Purists and the Triads loyal to them, only the Blades are more willing to kill than Amon's Equalists were. They now follow Hermione, despite her stance on the fact that 1st generation benders are the best and superior to all because in her mind they were given bending by Raava, as a form of street enforcement and wet works arm of the FUICEE and the Enforcers of Enlightenment."

"Do you know the death toll?" Harry asked after a pause to digest Charlie's words and to broach the topic he was most hesitant to talk about.

"Not the official one but if I was to hazard a guess based on all the reports I have heard, I would say it easily exceeds a million." Charlie said with sadness. "That is factoring in the executions, the famines, and the slave labor prison camps. I don't understand how someone can be so cruel to their own people and justify it all in the name of equality. I don't know how she sleeps at night."

"Because as you said, she thinks that all she is doing is for the greater good." Ron said with anger in his voice. "It's the same excuse tyrants everywhere use to justify great acts of evil and oppression. They think what the sacrifices they are making is all for a better goal at the end. They believe that they are doing what is right and just for their people even if some must die or rights violated in the process. They think that force is needed and those who threaten their power must be stopped by any means necessary. That lies, manipulating the narrative through deception and propaganda is justified in order to get the masses on their side. Some even go as far as ignore facts for the sake of feelings as a way to justify the oppression of some. It's a slippery slope but they all end up here in the end if left unchecked, which is what we allowed to happen with Hermione. Of course, there are some truly evil assholes like Voldemort who always wanted domination and subscribed to the might makes right, veiled in purity, argument to justify their evil. It is hard to say which is worse as one is facially more evil as Voldemort never hid his evil, while the other is more sinister in that it hides behind a curtain of perceived justice to get away with their atrocities. The latter is easier to head off before shit hits the fan but will probably cause more death in the end if left unchecked."

"That's why I am in the Fire Nation." Harry said firmly. "This is a clandestine mission but the goal of it is to remove Hermione from power, bring her to justice and thus restore balance to the Fire Nation. We took a massive risk both in what we had to do to get here and how we actually got past the blockade but the situation has become so dire that we had to resort to desperate measures. For those reasons, I cannot say how we got here or the nature of the aid we relied on to accomplish that due to the sensitive nature of it. Suffice it to say that we had help getting into the Fire Nation from an unlikely source who is right now using his connections to find and recruit the remaining rebel groups so that we can strike Hermione and take her down."

"That is fine, but know this Avatar myself, Hagrid and those still left here who haven't been replaced by Hermione's minions are on your side." Charlie said seriously. "I couldn't help against Voldemort but I can against the tyrant who seized power and has now oppressed my adoptive homeland. The presence of the Avatar here will inspire hope and resistance once more as you represent balance and the restoration of freedom. You are the very person Hermione most fears."

"Good." Harry said as an idea slowly began to form in his mind. "What about the Sun Warriors? I know they are near here but what can you tell me about them and how they had fared under Hermione?"

"They are nearby as they were the original protectors of the last dragons but since Hermione took power they have been cordoned off by another military garrison." Charlie said. "The official reason given for this imprisonment is for their own protection and preservation of their unique culture, or more accurately the parts of their culture that are in line with Hermione's ideology. However, the Sun Warriors hate it as they would rather continue to live how they had under the Firelords but Hermione is hell-bent on protecting them from outside influences in her own way. She wanted to preserve their culture though as an ancient civilization they are a male dominated society. So when Hermione learned that she had the male chief arrested for the injustice of being a male leader of a patriarchal indigenous culture, publicly executed him using the Sun Warriors own method of execution for their worst criminals which was itself a sacrilegious act, and forcefully elevated the now dead chief's only daughter to the position of Chief. According to reports, Hermione had made the girl watch her own father's execution, why I can only speculate but I assume that it was to ensure the girl's compliance, or show her that part of their sacred culture has no place in today's society."

"That is just sick." Ginny exclaimed. "I thought she would want to protect their indigenous culture, not reshape it."

"I think it is a classic example of her thinking that because she has the power and agency she can use that to elevate, protect and modernize them." Ron said. "All the while ignoring societal, religious and cultural norms of that indigenous society. It is an elitist and arrogant view but we know Hermione is both."

"Very true." Charlie said. "The purpose of having a female Chief was to ensure that their women are equal to men, and to correct what Hermione called millennia of injustices against the women of the Sun Warriors. The thing is that in the Sun Warrior culture, at least the stuff I have picked up over the years of knowing a few of them who used to help with the dragons and occasionally trade with us, is that women are equal to men within their society. Women can own property, serve on their Council of Rays, the advisory council to the Chief, serve as warriors, be trained in firebending, marry for love, and all the other rights that women the world over have that are the same as men. It's just in a culture without technology there are a few biological differences that make men more suited to certain roles than women that no amount of denying or ignoring biology can change. Both genders serve in their fighting force, they all have too as it is as integral to their culture as it is to the Kyoshi Warriors, it's just once they get to a certain age the men are biologically stronger than women and so the women do the finer things while the men do the brute work. This translated to, in a warrior culture, that the strongest warrior must lead which is a man. They do not have a line of succession for chief but rather a tournament of all the warriors, women included, when a Chief dies and the winner is named the new Chief. Given that there are tests of physical strength in this tournament, men have always won and over the years the idea of a male leader has become part of their culture and something they do not want to change. Someone like Hermione however doesn't seem to understand biology, rather she only understands her own concept of justice hence the forced female Chief who almost certainly just lets the old chief's son, her elder brother, run them until Hermione is gone and they can hold a new tournament, but I digress. Why do you ask?"

"Because I have just had an idea for what we can do in the Fire Nation while our aforementioned contact does his job." Harry said with a smile before he turned to Ron. "Ron you're an expert on strategy, how effective would a series of sporadic minor revolts, destruction of vital infrastructure, or acts of what could be classified as terrorism be in a nation like this?"

"What do you have in mind?" Ron replied stroking his beard in thought. "I thought about it but decided not to voice the concept as we felt Hermione would kill innocents in her quest to find us. It would make her feel threatened, providing we only targeted her institutions and spared any innocents, but when an animal is threatened and cornered that is when she is most dangerous. I for one do not trust Hermione to not wipe out an entire town of her own people if she thought they were helping us. That's why we settled on the prepared rebellion to be launched in the capital remember."

"I remember so let me explain my idea." Harry said organizing his loose thoughts on the issue. "What if as we 5 traveled we did things to destabilize her power from within? Here we could free the dragons and their trainers from her plan to enslave them with their aid, possibly liberate the Sun Warriors from their forced captivity. The two groups could then go into hiding and make their way to the capital for the inevitable rebellion should they wish to join us when the time comes. Then at every stop we make we destabilize the local power by taking down those there who are loyal to Hermione and freeing the citizens there. We only kill in battle and we only kill those who support Hermione, we do not kill innocents but act within the laws of war for this is war. Along the way, we 5 always claim responsibility so as to draw the focus away from innocents and onto us. Of course, I won't reveal that I am the Avatar unless I absolutely have to so as to keep Hermione in the dark as to my presence here."

"So basically a series of minor rebellions, sabotage, and resistance against a tyrannical, oppressive, dictator to show that her power isn't absolute and can in fact be defeated." Ginny said with a smile. "I like it. Though Hermione will brand us terrorists and use us to propagandize her regime. We will have to take control of radio stations to broadcast our own message to the nation so as to force her to not retaliate against the citizens that we help."

"As do I." Charlie said. "It will help empower the people to rise up against her if they can see that resistance works. Do not worry about those who volunteer to join you Harry as we know the risks we face. Those here who I know who hate the oppression and slavery that has been forced upon us by Hermione would rather die fighting than live under her boot."

"I can see the logic in Harry's plan." Ron said though there was still some hesitance in his voice. "But the one thing holding me back is the fact that it could reveal that the Avatar is here, despite Harry's plan to keep a low profile. Having the Avatar hidden allows us a trump card for when the time comes as his power is our strongest weapon against Hermione."

"Not if I only firebend and use my swords." Harry said. "Or at the very least just stick to one element when we are engaging Hermione's forces. Who knows my ability to bend all the elements might help mask our numbers if I change it up every time."

Ron thought for a long moment before he eventually nodded his assent to the plan. Harry knew that they would need Neville and Luna to agree to the plan as well to put it into motion.

"I do not like changing the plan on a whim like this but I understand that this mission is constantly fluid and in flux and as such we must be willing to adapt the plan accordingly." Ron said. "It would also allow our contact to find more who wish to fight and take the focus of his activities. If we do this right, we can gain support against Hermione by defying her while our contact gains skilled rebels onto our side so that when we do strike Hermione directly we have more manpower to take her down."

"What shall we call ourselves as we can't use the name Team Avatar?" Ginny asked thoughtfully. "Something that is easy to say and clearly portrays our objectives."

"The Liberation from Tyrants Movement." Ron said after a long pause causing the other 3 to look at him. "The LFTM for short. It's not great but it will serve our purposes as it is short and shows our goals. We will leave a calling card at ever place we liberate claiming responsibility and saying that the people do not have to follow a tyrant like Hermione anymore and that her days are numbers. It will strike fear in Hermione and show the fragility of her rule. We will show her tyranny and hypocrisy when she doubles down on her oppression to try and stop us. We basically counter her oppression with successful opposition and if she tries to take it out on innocents we hit back twice as hard, always making sure the nation knows the truth. We must do all we can to protect the innocent though, they shouldn't pay for our actions."

"So long as you make it clear and can prove you are purely opposing Hermione and her evil then the people will know that she is at fault for any repercussions." Charlie said. "Hopefully she is smart enough to know that if she say kills an entire village that you freed because they aided you that will only further your cause and turn people against her. War will cause casualties to all, that is inevitable, so long as the targets are valid then the people will support you and hold you blameless for the acts of a ruthless tyrant, within reason as there will always be those who blame you no matter what."

"I agree, we cannot kill or terrorize innocent people." Harry said. "We aren't terrorists or even freedom fighters as the latter no matter how noble still occasionally engage in terrorist tactics against civilians. We are liberators here to remove the shackles of Hermione's oppression, to use a phrase she loved to use to describe Iroh's reign. We only target those who are actively cooperating, supporting or enforcing Hermione's warped views while offering our own moderate, accepting ones as alternatives. We must remind the people of what it was like before Hermione's days and that there are still people here who are willing to fight to return the Fire Nation to what it became under Zuko and his descendants. She'll suspect the Avatar is here but without proof she won't directly accuse me of meddling in her internal affairs as that will likely backfire against her as I am a known opponent of her."

"We will kill those who try to kill us though right?" Ginny asked. "If we are forced too that is, like when we fought Voldemort and his forces."

"Yes but that is the nature of war and let's be clear that is effectively what we are starting." Ron said looking clearly at all of them individually so that they all knew the seriousness of what they were discussing. "No matter what we call this, from today onwards we are officially launching a guerrilla war of independence against Hermione's tyrannical and unrecognized regime. It will be just like when we faced the Death Eaters and Purists 5 years ago. If it comes down to kill or be killed we end them, but only if it is justified by the laws of war. No torture, no killing of captives, nothing like that. We will not stoop to Hermione or Voldemort's level."

"Agreed." Harry said firmly before he turned to Charlie. "How many soldiers are based here?"

"30 are stationed in this camp." Charlie said. "A further 100 more are assigned to protect the Sun Warriors and of the 25 trainers and breeders here only 7 are left from before the coup. The rest were appointed by Hermione though most of us are with you though, we know who her loyalists are among us. However that's too much for the 4 of us can't take them all of them down."

"Not without bending, which is something we currently can't use as it three of us are waterbenders and thus not typically found in a place like this, but I have an idea." Ron said with a smile. "We take out the commander here as he or she will likely the most loyal to Hermione due to her penchant for promoting her most loyal fanatics to positions of authority. Then with the aid of those who oppose her we take down the rest of the soldiers here, something I think we can all do between us. I assume you can get at least one dragon on your side once you are free from this prison camp."

"We have several dragons that have bonded with trainers and as such we can call upon our dragons to aid us, the same way the Air Nomads can call upon their bison." Charlie said with a grin. "All trainers who are loyal to myself or Hagrid have bonded with dragons. Let's see there's my stead Norberta who I raised from a hatchling after she was abandoned by her mother and Hagrid's stead Fang, named after Roku's dragon. Then there is old Aragog one of the senior dragons who was Hagrid's first training and loyal only to him and trust me that is one vicious creature to those it doesn't like. Yes between the three of them at least we are in good shape. Hermione wanted to turn the dragons into beasts of war who served her, well we are going to unleash her weapons upon her."

"Ok, well once this place is liberated take the dragons on your side and free the Sun Warriors." Ron said continuing his plan. "I hate to ask this of you but I must. The distraction will allow us to leave and head east for our next objective and I am sure a few dragons are more than enough of a match for 100 soldiers."

"It will be our pleasure." Charlie said with a grin. "Once the Sun Warriors realize that Hermione's tyranny will end they should aid us both in defeating their guards and in the inevitable revolution."

"Good." Harry said pleased to hear that they had a solid plan to go off. "Head to the outskirts of the capital once you are done and cause as much chaos along the way as you can if you run into any oppressors but don't do anything needless or stoop to Hermione's level. Shouldn't be too hard to do that with a few dragons to aid you. If we are going to destabilize her we may as well have multiple points of attack during the next few months."

"Understood." Charlie said with a curt nod. "Don't worry Avatar we can handle it."

"Wait for a messenger hawk from us." Ron said. "We will let you know when the attack is about to happen. Though our contact may figure out a way to contact you, especially if you can make contact with another one of the rebel groups that are still active."

Charlie once again nodded at this. He then got out of bed and quickly put on a set of rough clothes that he clearly used in his work with the dragons. Going to a small chest he opened it and pulled out a full water skin that Harry had assumed the Southern Prince had kept hidden so as to hide his waterbending, two massive hunting knives and large, two handed battle axe.

"A boy has to be prepared." He said hefting the axe reverently in his large hands. "I haven't had this gal in my hands in ages. She's thirsty for the blood of tyrants."

"Who's the commander here?" Ron asked.

"I don't think it matters." Harry said suddenly as his subconscious use of his seismic sense triggered. As they had been talking Harry had constantly been sending out low level vibrations to keep an eye on their surroundings just in case.

"Why?" Ginny asked wearily.

"Because he's on his way over with 10 soldiers right now."

"Someone must have tipped him off that there were people talking." Charlie growled, if he was worried though he didn't show it. "They wouldn't have heard what we're saying but they would have known someone was here by the sounds and that's against the rules. It could only be one of the trainers loyal to Hermione who ratted on us."

"Well let's go great this commander then." Harry said with a smile rising and walking to the entrance to the tent. "Y'all coming or what. It's time to start a rebellion."

Harry exited the tent and stood there calmly as the commander and 10 soldiers approached him. The camp was pretty small but it seemed that the guards had kept their distance from the trainers' tents. Now though the commander was striding towards Harry through the small camp. Flanking him on each side were 5 soldiers all with enlisted ranks on their tunics Soon Ron, Ginny and Charlie were all by his side as they watched the unit approach them, all but Harry had weapons drawn and none were covering their faces with the masks they had used earlier when sneaking into the camp. Only Harry could bend at this moment in time as it was best to not give away the fact that the other 3 were waterbenders as that might raise suspicions should there be any survivors.

All the soldiers wore red tunics but the commander wore beige pants to his soldiers black ones. He was a brutish looking man with a forked black beard, a scowl on his face and an evil glint in his beady eyes. Clearly this was a man who enjoyed brutalizing others, the perfect recruit for a despot like Hermione who gave maniacs like this a free reign so long as they implemented her will on the people.

"Who the fuck are you to dare to sneak into my camp." The commander barked at Harry. "I have already sent someone to pull in the 5 patrolling soldiers and wake up the other guards. You are outnumbered and outmatched. Surrender now and I won't recommend they execute you three in the nearest town square. The mines could use two strong like you and the men and I could do with a pretty thing like you lassie. Charlie, I know you have always been a problem but unfortunately your value is too great to have you killed or sent to the mines, we'll just have to ensure that you suffer here instead."

"Ok I was hoping to reason with you, though admittedly reasoning with you was going to be a long shot given who you serve, but you just threatened to have my fiancé gang raped so you aren't going to walk away from this alive." Harry said with forced calm at the man's lust, something that seemed to happen when certain men gained power apparently. "But as to who the fuck we are, we are 3 members of the Liberation from Tyrants Movement. The LFTM and we are here to free the noble dragons and their trainers, well the ones loyal to Firelord Druzok at least, from the tyranny of your mad, illegitimate leader."

"How dare you insult our enlightened Empress; Hermione the Savior." The commander roared with anger. By now other trainers were poking their heads out their tents while the remaining soldiers headed over as they pulled on clothes and weapons to inspect the late night disturbance. "Our glorious leader has established true equality at last to the Fire Utopia. Stop resisting her and accept her enlightened wisdom and laws without question. Only the Empress can lead and make laws in this world, only her views are needed to govern in a fair and just society. The Firelords were cruel and oppressive leaders who ruled with an iron fist and subjugated their people with unmatched brutality, I praise the Empress every day for getting rid of them. I will not allow some gutter punk like you with idealistic, twisted views above your station to drag us back to those dark days."

"Look bitch I could stand here all day and discuss our differing philosophies or I could bang my head into a rock all day." Harry said idly. The commander was clearly a believer of Hermione, he expected no less from a man entrusted with such an important command post, though the man was also clearly a sadist. "And quite frankly the rock will be less painful, more rewarding, more intelligent and offer a much more scintillating and thought provoking discussion than you ever could. So here's how it will go down. I am offering you the chance to stand down, surrender your weapons and leave here alive, taking the trainers who are here to aid your horrific mission to enslave the dragons to serve as part Hermione's war machine with you, or be put down by us as traitors to the Fire Nation, the Firelord and balance. We'll try not to kill you but if you use lethal force we will respond in kind. Pretty much the same offer I made to those who followed Voldemort a few years back."

"You ain't no killer, nor are you a fighter." The commander said with a scornful laugh at Harry. "I should know, given how many pieces of trash like you that I have killed with my bare hands, sometimes while fucking them to show my dominance. No, it is you who should surrender. If not then in the name of the Empress I hereby declare you traitors to her glorious rule and sentence you to death, after we make you watch as we enjoy your pretty fiancé as is our right when dealing with a convicted traitor who has no rights."

"Is it pointless telling this asshole that the last time I killed someone it was a Death Eater who I decapitated?" Harry asked his friends as the soldiers approached drawing weapons or taking fighting stance. "Or that he was a similar sadistic, rapist, pig whose junk I burned off with hot lava before I put him out of his misery by removing his head. I don't know why power turns so many men into rapists but it seems to cross ideological lines. Oh well, this wanker's raping days are over."

"Absolutely pointless." Ron confirmed as he flexed his arms getting ready for the fight.

Ron was armed with a standard Southern machete having left his hammer back in the truck as it was not practical for a stealth mission. Ginny had already drawn her Sais and Charlie had his axe at the ready, a grim smile of vengeance on his face at the thought of being free from his captors.

"Good." Harry said drawing his own swords in a fluid motion. "Then let's take these fuckers down but the loudmouthed fanatic is mine."

Without a response to Harry, the commander bellowed an order to attack them and his men charged. Harry wasn't concerned with the men, his target was the asshole who lead them. Ducking a clumsy sword swipe from the first soldiers Harry stabbed him in the side before he casually continued to walk towards the commander, ignoring the wounded soldier as he fell to the ground in pain.

A firebender leapt in front of him ready to summon a flame attack when a throwing knife, likely from Ron, struck him in the shoulder. As he reeled away in pain Harry used the pommel of one of his swords to knock the man out and continued onwards to a now worried looking commander. Harry didn't need to look back to know that the others had taken care of the reaming 8 soldiers and gone into the camp to deal with the others, likely aided by the other trainers who were on their side.

"Die traitor." The commander yelled at Harry and sent a bolt of lightning at him. Harry could hear the panic in the man's voice as the commander clearly realized that he, like many before him, had underestimated the young Avatar.

Harry had expected a lightning attack and caught it on his right blade. Grunting in pain, Harry let the lightning flow along his arm, down into his core, up into his left arm and along the left blade as he redirected the bolt right back at the stunned commander. It struck the commander squarely in the chest, throwing him back with a scream. His lifeless body crashed into an ornate tent in the distance that Harry assumed had been his.

Harry's body twitched for a moment with a mixture of electricity and adrenaline from the redirection. He had tried it a few time in practice, with a terrified Neville producing said lightning, but the exhilarating feeling, coupled with the intense but brief pain, never changed. It was indescribable and honestly a feeling Harry did not want to have to repeat anytime soon. Lightning redirection was a bitch.

As soon as the excess electricity had stopped causing him spasms, Harry turned and surveyed the damage. Of the 10 soldiers who joined their commander in trying to apprehend them, 6 were already dead and 2 more where beyond saving. One of the two survivors was the one he had knocked out, the other a nonbender with a nasty gash on his head that Harry theorized came from the butt of Charlie's axe and was lying dazed and out of the fight on top of a ruined tent.

Harry was about to walk into the camp and see where his help was needed when a roar distracted him and he had to sidestep as a trainer in his underwear crashed into the ground where he had been standing. The trained did not get up. Looking in the direction of the roar Harry paused his mouth falling open at the sight.

Standing 20 feet away was an absolute giant of a man with long wild black hair and a matching beard. Neither of which looked like it could be tamed. The man was wearing a black shirt, leather vest, brown pants and the largest boots Harry had ever seen.

"That's fer thinking a dragon is merely a killin' machine and not a majestic, beautiful creature." The man who Harry could only assume was Hagrid said before he bent down and picked up a crossbow in one hand and an absolutely giant war mallet in the other.

"Hagrid?" Harry asked.

"Who's asking?" The giant replied before looking at Harry. "Oh you're the guy Charlie just told me of, some guy who's here to help free us from Hermy's tyranny. I'm on your side. Me and my dragons are at your disposal."

"Thank you." Harry said a little startled by the large man. "I cannot stay though as I have more seeds of resistance to sow throughout the Fire Nation, so once we know this place is free I will leave you and Charlie in charge."

"You have me word." Hagrid said before he ran off with strides that shook the earth around him to find Charlie, absentmindedly crushing the skull of a guard with his mallet along the way.

In short order Ron and Ginny had rejoined Harry by Charlie's tent. All the guards and trainers loyal to Hermione had been dealt with. A total of 19 had died, including one of the trainers from before the coup, the rest were knocked out, their wounds dressed, and bound so as to not be able to follow them. The other trainers had run off to find their dragons and head to free the Sun Warriors with the element of surprise. It was time to leave the Dragon Sanctuary and return to the rest of their team.

The sun was just breaking over the horizon by the time Harry and the ginger siblings had returned to their camp in the mountain and briefed Luna and Neville on the updated plan. The other members of Team Avatar agreed with Harry that it was a good idea but that they should find a way to let Pyrites know about the change, if he didn't find out and contact them about it first. As soon as Harry was done catching them up Harry opened the cave so that they could drive out and get on the road.

Once the truck was loaded up and Harry confirmed it was clear Neville, who was the most rested, took the wheel and they set off, heading down the mountains. Harry and Ginny were dozing in the cab while Neville drove and Ron and Luna were sleeping in the back.

As Harry began to fall asleep he managed to tell Neville to head towards the eastern islands that made up the lower tail of Fire Nation archipelago. It would cause more of a problem for Hermione if their next strike was far to the east and it would give them a chance to throw off any potential pursuers. The revolution to reclaim the Fire Nation from the iron grip of tyranny had officially begun.

 **Nothing much to add after this long chapter other than to note that Silvanus refers to the first name of the Care of Magical Creatures professor prior to Hagrid. On the note of Hagrid, this is one of the few times he will be seen in this series and the only time he talks. This is because I couldn't fit him into the Academy given his love of creatures and his history didn't fit so I felt it was best to allow him to be heavily involved with dragons, beasts he loved in the books. I also can't write his speak very well and could never do the character justice if he was a regular character. The next few chapters will deal with the start of the LFTM's campaign against Hermione, including one of my favorite scenes in the whole series, and will draw a lot of inspiration from Aang's time in the Fire Nation during the third season of the show as Hermione is similar to Ozai in more ways than she is willing to admit. Enough ramblings, as always keep letting me know what you think of this story in the reviews and any questions posed in reviews or PMs to me will be answered at the start of next week's chapter when it is released on time as always. Until next week.**

 **Stringdog**


	10. Chapter 10

**Here is the 10th chapter of Book 2 on time as always. Sorry this is several hours late, no excuse for it. There is nothing new to add here so sit back and enjoy the latest installment in Avatar: The Tale of Harry. Book 2: Equality.**

 **Disclaimer: As always I won nothing related to either of these two great works of fiction.**

 **Chapter 10**

It took Team Avatar a week to drive from the western mountains to the eastern islands as they planned where to strike next. However, the length of the journey had allowed them to have a productive week learning about the Fire Utopia and what they needed to pass in it. As they drove they realized that they would have to try and acquire military clothes at some point as it appeared that most of the vehicles they had passed were either military based or transport vehicles for workers and prisoners. The presence of the military was undeniable in the Fire Nation and unsurprising to Team Avatar. They knew that Hermione needed the military, along with her Chosen, the internal police force, the secretive FUICEE and the Blades, to maintain her grip on power. She needed a strong force to enforce her so called enlightened views upon a populace who had never asked for them or complained about her predecessor and to ensure the citizens' compliance through fear.

They had tried to avoid the military as much as possible after the events in the first town they had stopped at but they were stopped a few times over the course of the journey by the occasional random checkpoint or bridge crossing between the islands once they left the central island of the Fire Nation. Often the checkpoints were just greedy and corrupt soldiers looking for a bribe that Harry and his friends were only too willing to pay, though on one occasion the soldiers had wanted some female company and ordered them to let Luna and Ginny so that they could have their way with the girls or else they would be arrested. Harry did so and within a minute the three soldiers at the checkpoint were lying in the dirt all groaning from various degrees of testicular pain the girls had been only too willing to inflict upon the horny soldiers.

Unfortunately two if the checkpoints, both at bridges to other islands, were legit and maned by soldiers loyal to Hermione's regime and believing in her view for the nation. Luckily they had counterfeit papers that Pyrites had provided that could be altered to serve their purposes to use to get past the checkpoints without violence. The papers claimed that they were transporting classified material for the Empress.

When asked why the orders were unusual to them Ron had explained, after he berated the low ranked soldiers for not having the requisite clearance to know the inner workings of Hermione's chief subordinates in the Capital, that the orders had to look the way they did lest the material they were transporting fell into the hands of the many groups who wished to end Hermione's glorious reign. This way the rebels wouldn't believe the material was important and leave them alone. It was also the crack team he ran traveled as civilians, to avoid any suspicion that they were working on something classified. With that explanation they had been waved on to continue their journey deciding it was best to not ask too many questions of their superiors. Harry had to admire Ron's acting skills during those moments as he was sure he would had just ended up knocking out the soldiers instead as it was easier.

As they traveled they had stopped off in various towns and villages for supplies and to talk to the locals about the situation. Most were hesitant to talk or just refused to do so and it was clear that they did so out of fear of arrest and retribution from the thugs, criminals, exploiters, secret agents and fanatics that made up Hermione's law enforcement.

What few snippets of information they were able to gleam from the local citizens though were bleak. Hermione had set up labor camps to mine raw materials and doubled the factory production that the nation had seen during the 100 year war. All those who had opposed her either by vocal dissent that was classified as hate speech, actions, or simply being part of the old nobility and thus the oppressors in her mind had been sent to these camps to work as slave labor for the duration of their lengthy prison sentences. The conditions there were apparently inhumane and the death toll was becoming catastrophic at these places as the guards were all fanatics who worked the prisoners to death or abused them until they died.

Then there lucky ones were the ones, mostly the leaders of the dissidents, who had been executed instead of being sent to the camps but even the summary executions without trial had slowed in the last year or so as Hermione's thirst for more output from the factories required more warm bodies to work the mines. Now only the most senior and charismatic opponents to Hermione's regime were publicly executed to dissuade anyone from following in their footsteps and questioning Hermione's views. After 5 years she had broken the back of the opposition to the point that few still vocally spoke out against her.

Harry wanted to free the camp but knew that it wasn't part of his mission, nor would he and his team get near one, as it would only sidetrack them from their goal. He vowed that he would ensure Druzok shut them down and compensated all those who had been wrongfully enslaved for simply not following Hermione's word as gospel law. Harry also vowed to ensure that all the evidence of the crimes committed at them were brought to light should they win and laid at the feet of Hermione and the others officials complicit in her reign of terror. Harry planned to do everything in his power to never let something like this happen to a nation again while he was the Avatar.

In addition to talking to the citizens they encountered, the radio in the truck had also been useful and they kept it on at all times while driving in order to keep abreast of events around the country. While the reports were from the state run news outlets that only said what Hermione told them to say, it still it gave them a sense of her propaganda and views on what was happening. The main thing that had dominated the news cycle that week had been the liberation of the dragons and the beginning of the LFTM movement.

According to the news outlets a radical group of terrorists who had the audacity to claim that the kind, benevolent, just and enlightened Empress Hermione the Savior was a tyrant had attacked her dragon conservation and repopulation project and scattered the dragons to the winds. Several of the remaining trainers from Iroh's days, who according to Hermione's controlled news had been part of their terrorist movement and slipped through her vetting process for trainers and breeders, had been part of the treasonous attack. All unaccounted trainers as well as the LFTM had been branded terrorists and criminals by Hermione with guarantees of their very public executions upon their capture having been convicted and sentenced to death in absentia by the Empress.

In addition, the conservation of Sun Warrior culture had been unjustly attacked and the Sun Warriors taken as hostages by this new, radical, terrorist movement set on returning the Fire Utopia to the oppression of the past, according to Hermione that is. Harry knew the truth though, or at least suspected it, that the Sun Warriors had joined the rebellion and as experts at stealth and secrecy they had aided the trainers in evading capture as they moved into position for their liberation of the Fire Nation.

Hermione had repetitively decried them as traitors to her glorious Fire Utopia and sworn to bring them to a swift justice. Harry knew that she would be in for a rude awakening when they reached Jang Hui where they planned to commit their second act of rebellion against Hermione if there was something there to attack just as there had been when Aang had been in the Fire Nation in the last months of the 100 year war. It was clear that the bitch was rattled at the loss of her dragons and was claiming that they were the criminals to ensure that the average person didn't want to associate with the LFTM. It was amazing to Harry how much she lied about what her real goals were with the dragons and how she justified her actions to the people but then again that was the nature of propaganda, Voldemort had lied to sway average benders to his side during the Purity Wars so it was no surprise that Hermione would lie as well to get the citizens under her boots on her side.

Other than that there was little more that Team Avatar could learn until the 6th night of their journey. They were about a day's drive from the famous floating town of Jang Hui when their camp was interrupted by a screech causing all of them to jump in surprise, draw weapons and take fighting stances. As they had made camp in the secluded countryside every night in order to avoid the military that was constantly on the roads the arrival of a messenger hawk startled them by landing in the middle of their camp.

It had flown in and landed right in front of Harry a scroll in the tube on its back. It took Harry a moment to calm down and sheath his swords as he quickly realized that it must have come from Pyrites, he was the only person who would have contacted them. Accepting the scroll and offering the bird a bit of uncooked meet as payment Harry gathered his friends around so that they could read the message. The bird stayed were it was clearly waiting for a response. Unrolling the scroll Harry began to read a coded letter in an immaculate hand.

 _My dearest and closest friend._ Harry snorted at how Pyrites had begun his letter to Team Avatar.

 _It has been many moons since I last wrote to you and I thought that it was high time I contacted you again seeing as your marriage is coming up and I am the best man. After spending many miserable years in snow of the western mountains I am glad to have returned to my haunts in the east where the weather is more temperate, neigh warm, and much more pleasant for my exquisitely refined tastes. As too are the accommodations that I now find myself in, but it is not hard to improve on the frigid conditions that I was forced to endure while living in the mountains. I have decided to see some of our old friends from our college days that are spread out around the islands. Don't worry my friend we will make your bachelor party one for the ages when the time comes, it will be so epic that books shall be written solely about it. One that will go down in history for its debauchery, unrivaled by any that have come before it._

 _Alas I must report that two of our close friends have passed in the years I have spent away, one from a workplace accident and the other from illness, but the others are safe and accounted for. All is going well and all that is necessary for the party is being prepared as we speak. I am about to head north to meet a party planner who assures me that it has all I need in place to make this the most epic last night of bachelorhood the world has ever seen. It comes highly recommended and I still need to be vetted so as to be allowed to work with it but I am sure I can persuade it using my famous silver tongue to provide its services to us. Our friends in the east will remain and continue the preparations there. I shall endeavor to contact you in the next week or so once I know that the contact in the north has panned out._

 _Yours in debauchery,_

 _Supai  
_

 _P.S. Dude what the fuck is up with the shit at the dragon habitat, I did not see that one coming! It was fucking crazy that some terrorists would attack it! If you have any theories as to what occurred there please send what you know back to me with Iris here as I do love me some nice gossip._

"What the fuck is he trying to say?" Luna asked after they had all read the letter.

Making sure that there wasn't anyone near them by using his seismic sense Harry answered.

"I believe he is writing in code to tell us that he had made contact with his network in Fire Fountain City, that 2 of the ones he wanted to contact have died due to Hermione's tyranny either in the concentration camps or executed for whatever crimes they may have committed or thought about committing. However, at least one is still alive and has provided our pet Death Eater with the info he needed and is now heading elsewhere, though almost certainly not north, to meet one of the few rebel leaders that are still alive."

"Remember this guy is used to talking in code." Ron said taking the letter from his fiance and rereading it. "So likely he expects that his hawk may be searched and doesn't want the information to be discovered by the authorities here. Honestly it is a good code as no one but us would be able to figure out what he is up too, they will just think its some old friends planning a bachelor party. On that note, Harry when this is done we will have a bachelor party for you that will be as epic as the one Pyrites has described here."

"It's all in your hands." Harry said in defeat knowing that Ron was going to make his bachelor party as epic as possible. "Well I had better reply to Pyrites."

Harry pulled out a sheet of paper and a pen from their supplies and earthbent a small stool to write on. Tapping the pen to his lips Harry thought how to phrase the message in a way that would appear mundane and yet still convey all the relevant information in a way only Pyrites could understand. After a moment's thought Harry began to pen his response.

 _Supai,_

 _Words cannot express my appreciation for what you are doing to make my bachelor party one for the ages, though knowing your abilities I am terrified by the results I know you will produce. I am happy to hear that our friends in the east are on board with the event though it does sadden me to learn that 2 have passed since last we saw them as I was hoping for the whole crew to be there. We shall toast their memories and the memories of all our friends who have unfortunately passed over the years. I am also pleased to hear of the success in finding a planner in the north. We are in need of an expert for what we have planned for my special night. Keep me informed on the progress you make with it and any other vendors you happen to engage for the party._

 _As for your request about the incident with the dragons, I know as much as you do and all that comes from the excellent and fair news reports I have heard over the radio. I theorize that some liberation group has decided to begin terrorizing the Empress and her loyal enforcers of enlightenment and they started with the dragons and the Sun Warriors for some unknown reason, likely convenience. I believe they did this as they represent what we as a nation once were before Empress Hermione's guiding hand took over and lead us into a level of prosperity and equality that had never before been reached while also removing the shackles of of oppressors. The friends who have accompanied me on my own search for information on what our debaucheries bachelor party should entail believe that this is just the beginning and that the group will make many more strikes against our glorious Empress in the coming months to further attempt to destabilize her just regime. I suggest we use this distraction to search for those elements that you requested for the bachelor party that may be less than savory to the delicacies of the authorities. If I learn more I shall endeavor to tell you should I be able. Stay safe my friend._

 _Yours,_

 _Lee_

Harry passed the response around and all his friends agreed that it was a well worded letter. Rolling it up and tying it with a thin string Harry put it in canister that was on the hawk's back.

"Er you know where to go with this right?" Harry asked the hawk with a hint of trepidation as he had never used one of the creatures before, they were a uniquely Fire Nation method of communication and an antiquated one at that. The bird gave an approximation of a nod and took off.

"Well at least that is an update so he is being relatively honest with us and is doing his job." Ron said once the bird was gone. "Hopefully he uses the distraction we are providing to his advantage."

"If he has any sense he would." Harry said as he watched the hawk fly away into the horizon. "And we know he has plenty of sense. Anyway, I suggest we get some rest, we should reach Jang Hui by early afternoon. Once we get there and know what is going on we can formulate a plan of action. I'll take the first watch."

The others nodded and got into their sleeping bags. In short order Harry could hear their rhythmic breathing and knew that they were all asleep, hopefully none would be plagued by the nightmares of the past they all occasionally had.

As his friends slept, Harry looked out across the deserted landscape and wondered what they would find at Jang Hui tomorrow. They had chosen the floating city as their next target for their rebellion because it was a famous location in the Fire Nation due to Avatar Aang visiting it and cleaning up the polluted river around it towards the end of the 100 year war.

It was one of the cities that they had expected to get attention from Hermione when they had been planning their mission and as such it was a useful and symbolic location in the Fire Nation, hopefully freeing it would show the seriousness of their ragtag movement. Plus there was bound to be an important factory nearby as the area was rich in minerals and taking it out could aid their cause and show that they were serious about opposing Hermione's tyranny. After a few hours of quiet contemplation Harry woke Ron for his watch and went to bed, though sleep continued to elude him for a few hours as possibility of conflict was on the horizon.

* * *

The following afternoon Team Avatar was standing on a cliff overlooking the Jang Hui river and the floating town named after it. Jang Hui had grown over the last century and a half and now looked more modern, the size of a small city if Harry was to put a label on it. The buildings were still wood and bamboo as they were the best materials for buildings floating on a river but many had multiple stories now and the platforms and bridges that made up the city looked more solid than the descriptions Harry had read of the place from historical accounts of the 100 year war. 4 large watchtowers, each manned by soldiers in the garb of Hermione's military, were on each corner likely to keep the villagers in line. A large wooden statue of a veiled woman stood in the center of the small city. Harry knew that the statue was of the city's protector, the Painted Lady.

Alas despite the clear improvement to the city over the last 130 or so years, the same could not be said for the river. Harry had read in the accounts of Avatar Aang's time in the Fire Nation that the Jang Hui river had been horribly polluted but that they had helped clean it up when a large factory nearby had been destroyed by Aang and Katara. Now the factory appeared to be back and bigger than ever and the river was brown and clogged with sludge from the factory once more. Harry was all for progress and innovation but not at the expense of polluting a river or causing any lasting damage to the environment. How could someone who claims to be a warrior for justice allow such environmental damage but Harry theorized that Hermione cared little for the environment if it got in her way of bolstering her military presence and ensuring her power. It was likely something she would address once her position was beyond challenge, a challenge that would have to withstand the power of the Avatar.

"Ok here's the plan." Harry said as he walked away from the cliff and pulled up 5 earth stools around the center of their makeshift camp. His friends followed and they all sat down with him. "We need to learn more about the situation here before we can act to free these people from at least the pollution of the factory."

"We have to destroy it." Luna said with a vehemence Harry had rarely heard from the lithe airbender. "What they are doing to nature is cruel, as cruel as what she has done to her own people."

"I thought this place had been cleaned by Aang and Katara." Ginny said. "It seems worse than it was back then, if the accounts are accurate."

"It had but likely Hermione expanded and reopened the plant to provide for her military and build an arsenal to defend against invasion." Neville said with a sigh. "Back during the 100 year war this factory had been the main one in Ozai's war machine. Likely she has decided to use it as well. From what I understand the pollution back then destroyed the marine life here and nearly killed all inhabitants of Jang Hui. Many were sick, mentally and physically, from the contamination. It took decades for the effects to fully clear and for the river to once again have a solid ecosystem. The damage Azulon and Ozai did was why Zuko made it illegal to reopen the factory here, a policy that Izumi and Iroh kept. Hermione clearly changed that and I don't doubt that what happened under Ozai has happened again under Hermione."

"What do you have in mind for dealing with this?" Ron asked Harry. "We have to do something."

"We will sort this shit out, don't worry." Harry said with a smile. "Here's my plan. Ron you and Neville go to the plant and try and learn more about it and what is going on here, I trust you two to come up with a decent excuse for being here. Likely you won't be allowed in but there may be a few bored guards there who could divulge some useful information. Bribe them if you have to but only as a last resort, I suggest something more subtle to start with but that is your area of expertise Ron, not mine."

Ron and Neville nodded at this before Harry turned to the girls and continued the plan he had thought of while failing to sleep the night before. The river looked bad enough to need what Harry had in mind, if the others could gather information on the situation here.

"Ginny, Luna you two go down to the river and find passage to the city. Once there learn what you can from any of the locals who are willing to talk to you and then report back. Use the cover as humanitarians sent by Hermione's regime to look over the populace there, I'm sure you can persuade the soldiers you are legit and the citizens that you are here to help."

"Oh we will." Ginny said confidently. "Though if any of the soldiers try to be fucking creeps..."

"Deal with them as you see fit but remember to not blow our cover just yet." Harry interrupted with a smirk.

Ginny just nodded at Harry's words.

"What about you?" Neville asked. "What will you do while we are off."

"I will try to contact the Painted Lady and see what she knows." Harry said. "She is a spirit after all and with the portals open I believe she can appear here to talk to me as I am the bridge between our world and the spirits. Regardless, I want all y'all back here by dusk so we can plan our next move."

Without another word his friends rose and went about the camp, gathering what they needed for their assigned tasks. Ron and Neville headed off to find some guards while Ginny and Luna headed off to the find a path down to the river to see if there was a ferryman who could take them to the village. Once the camp was clear Harry returned the stools to the earth and sat down in the lotus position, closing his eyes and beginning his meditation. It was time to try and draw the Painted Lady to him.

* * *

Ron and Neville approached the large factory, taking a cliff side path to reach it, and surveyed it. There were 7 metallic sewage pipes that spewed its waste into the river that was beneath it and many tall smoke stacks billowing smog into the air. As Ron looked at it he realized that it was larger than the one that had stood there during the 100 year war, at least based of Sokka's description of the place in his memoirs of the war, though the design was the same as the one Sokka had described. Likely it was same building only restored, modernized and expanded by Hermione's people as Ron assumed that Zuko wouldn't have ordered the original destroyed. One of the new additions had been a high chain linked fence topped with razor wire and likely electrified that marked the perimeter. Now it was time to learn more about it.

It didn't take long for Ron and Neville to find a pair of bored looking soldiers who were out on patrol duty around the perimeter of the factory. They were both in the red tunic and black pants of soldiers in Hermione's army. Both had swords at their waists likely meaning they were nonbenders but seeing as every member of Team Avatar carried weapons Ron knew better than to blindly assume that neither could bend. Based on the lack of rank insignia Ron did assume that they were privates.

"Halt what are you doing here, this is a restricted area." One of the two soldiers said in a bored tone as Ron and Neville approached them. Ron could detect that the words had been an automatic response by the soldier as they had little authority or weight behind them.

"Relax my friend." Ron said calmly raising his hands in surrender, he and Neville had left their weapons in the camp, other than a few concealed knives and his two water skins, so as to appear as nonthreatening as possible despite Ron's thuggish appearance. "Me and my colleague here are surveys for our glorious Empress."

"Surveyors?" the other soldier asked warily as he placed his hand on the hilt of his sword.

"Yes" Ron replied going with the back story he and Neville had made up on the way. "We were sent here from the capital to survey the land and see if it is suitable for development of any kind and to map it for the updated maps the Empress has requested."

"Well that will be hard seeing as there's this massive factory here." The first soldier said gesturing behind him to the pollution machine that was there before he narrowed his eyes at them. "You two look as old as us, how did you get such a cushy job?"

"It was what we were training for when Empress Hermione the Savior removed the tyrant Iroh from power and ushered us into this age of peace and prosperity." Neville said impressing Ron with his conviction. "So naturally that is what we were told to do for her when she reorganized the new government under her enlightened hand. We work for her Bureau of Land Management as junior surveyors so we get sent to places like this cos our superiors don't want to come here. It may seem cushy but we basically get sent out to hostile or remote environments with outdated equipment, limited supplies and no knowledge of the local infrastructure and expected to produce perfect results while getting paid a pittance."

"Yeah." Ron said latching onto the end of Neville's statement and deciding to use it to curry favor with the lowly soldiers. "As for the factory here, how the fuck were we supposed to know about the military instillation here? It's not like our bosses tell us anything. We just get told to go somewhere, do some mundane boring and pointless shit for them and then return to hand over our hard work to them so they can claim the credit. We don't have the clearance to know about anything."

"Amen friend." The first soldier said with a laugh and Ron knew that the tension between them was broken. "Me and Xian here have been stuck at this place for a year. There ain't shit to do around here other than go to that excuse of a city and spend our meager pay on their shitty, disgusting, beer. All those fuckers are too sick and broken to fight and it ain't like there's much in this area to threaten the factory. Apparently this place used to be nice before the Empress reopened the factory but we haven't seen that while stationed out here."

"Yeah we got here the other day and chose to camp rather than stay in that excuse for a city." Ron said playing along with the soldiers. "It seemed safer than to venture onto the river. It's just been us looking around the area and frankly we are bored as fuck. There's a massive fucking factory in the way of any development that is clearly a classified military structure and as such supersedes any civilian project that might be planned for this remote area. Honestly I just think our boss hates us cos we're both purebloods and wanted to ship us off to some forsaken and backwards corner of the Fire Utopia for as long as possible. It wouldn't be the first time, over the last 2 years we have been sent to active volcanoes, snow capped mountains and desolate forests by those higher up than us, all appointed to their positions by the Empress."

An idea suddenly struck Ron and he offered his secondary water skin to the first soldier. He had filled it with a decent plum wine they had picked up along the way for just such a situation. Why pay the guards when they seemed to just want a good drink and some healthy company to relieve their boredom, this was much more subtle. The man took it and sniffed it before tentatively he sipped it before taking a deeper pull from the skin. Passing it to his buddy who also drank deeply he turned back to Ron.

"Damn that's some good shit." The soldier said with an appreciative nod. "At least compared to the swill they serve in that floating city. Don't worry me and Xian here understand horrible bosses entirely, our general is a right asshole and a sadistic fuck if the rumors are true but I for one don't go in for gossip."

"Yeah and we couldn't care less for blood purity our." The soldier called Xian said passing the water skin back to Ron who also drank to show his comradery with the soldiers but made sure to not drink too much so as to keep his wits about him. "We're both nonbenders here and frankly most purebloods we knew growing up were just like us, poor simple folk just trying to eek out a living for their families. Empress Hermione may make a big deal about the 1st generation benders like her being the best and chosen by the spirits but when you can't bend it's no issue for you. I knew purebloods, half-bloods, 1st generation benders and nonbenders growing up and we were all fine living together in our poor village, it was only those who were in the cities or who were rich who believed that Purist crap. Though I must admit you don't look like a firebender with that pale skin of yours."

"An inherited trait." Ron said deciding to go with a story as close to the truth as he could, the closer to the truth the better the lie after all. "My great-great-great grandparents were Southern Water Tribe waterbenders caught by Azulon during the 100 year war. Their decedents settled here after the war as my great-great-great grandmother had been pregnant when she was arrested and we trace our looks back to them."

"Makes sense." The first soldier said taking another drink. "Given what Azulon did to your ancestors, a sad part of our history that but one we should not forget. Anyway, as we said our boss, General Warbeck, is a right bastard. One of those loyal to the Enlightened cos he felt that his career would improve if he sided with them before their coup. Not that we cared we were just lowly soldiers in the army at the time who had enlisted to try and make our lives better and frankly I liked Iroh, Hermione has been a lot worse if you ask me." It was clear he was already getting a little loose lipped from the strong wine as he was badmouthing the temperamental and easily offended bitch that ran the Fire Nation, a crime that could fetch a decade of hard labor as it constituted hate speech. "But I am a soldier so I serve and follow orders, no matter how much I personally hate them."

"Even when they involve guarding a factory in the far flung reaches of the Fire Utopia?" Neville asked.

"The location and beer may be shit and the patrolling is boring as fuck but it ain't all that bad." Xian said slurring his words a little as he took another deep swig of strong wine and hiccuping a little. "We have an important job here. This factory produces about 60% of all the metal needed for military and industrial complex that is run out of the Capital. Without it the whole complex would be crippled as there wouldn't much metal for the factories to use to produce weapons, machines, and equipment the Empress needs to defend and protect the Fire Utopia. So at least what we do is important even if this place ain't a target as few know it is here. We may be privates who get the shit jobs but it beats serving on the blockade or elsewhere where there may be rebels."

"Yeah cos all the dissenters here know the punishment they face for defying the Empress." The first soldier said. "Besides it's not like that recent attack on the dragon sanctuary would move here. No idea why a group has suddenly sprung up and caused more damage than any group before it but they're foolish if you ask me, they will be caught, tortured and publicly executed for their actions no matter how noble they may be."

Ron smirked inwardly as he took back the now almost empty wine skin and put it on his belt again. These two idiots had just told them all they needed to know. The factory was vital to Hermione's power in the nation so taking it out, a piece of cake for Harry even if he wasn't the Avatar given his earthbending prowess, would damage her reputation with the military and her efforts to control the population through force and fear. Plus the man running it was one of her key allies, if they could capture him they may be able to learn something useful from him if he was arrogant enough to talk to them.

"Well thanks for this break from the monotony of our surveys but my friend and I must get back to work." Ron said with a fake sigh of regret at having to leave. "It's clear there is nothing we can do here to help the civilians cos of the factor but our boss will likely blame us for something soon so we may as well get ready for that ass fucking."

"Y'all are welcome back anytime so long as you bring more of that wine." The first soldier said now clearly tipsy. Ron didn't really care what happened to them for drinking on duty. They had sided with Hermione and lost any sympathy he may have for them, even if they disliked her they still followed her orders making them part of her reign of terror.

"Will do." Neville said as he turned to join Ron in walking away.

As they began to make their way back to the camp Ron smiled, it had been a productive meeting after all. Hopefully the girls had been as productive as they had been with their own recon assignment. If they had, their upcoming operation to liberate Jang Hui would be very straightforward.

* * *

While Ron and Neville had been getting a pair of bored guards drunk, Ginny and Luna had made their way down a set of steps carved into the cliff in order to reach the river. Walking along the bank of the polluted, foul smelling, river the girls soon came to a small wooden ferry station manned by a few old men who showed clear signs of sickness from the pollution in the river and two soldiers, a corporal and a private, who were serving as guards and looked significantly more healthy then the civilians. The more senior of the two was a butch woman that Ginny almost mistook for a man had it not been for her assets and it was her who gave Luna and Ginny a lecherous, lustful, look as they approached. The male private just looked bored to be stationed at such an insignificant location in a forgotten corner of the nation.

"Who the fuck are you two pretty little things." The corporal said her eyes lingering a little too long on Ginny's breast for her liking. Swallowing her revulsion at the creepy woman, she had nothing against homosexuality Luna was bi after all, but she hated open displays of lust by those who had power and abused it for their own pleasure. "You are way too pretty and well maintained for a pathetic shithole like this."

"We were sent here by the Public Health Bureau to inspect the citizens of Jang Hui for illnesses caused by the pollution." Ginny said ignoring the woman's leering and using the name of the state run healthcare board that they had learned about on the drive over here. "There are toxic chemicals here and we have a duty under the Empress to protect and care for all our citizens."

"I got no word of such a visit." The woman said. "The Empress hasn't sent y'all here for 4 years. She only cares about the production of the factory and what it does for her glorious utopia, the plight of the complainers and slackers on Jang Hui are of no importance to her. If they wanted to be considered as our equals then they should shut the fuck up and do as the Empress orders. So long as we follow her orders and do as she commands we will all be equal, to violate them is a crime and comes with the forfeiture of certain rights."

"Regardless the PHB wants to make cursory checks on all Fire Utopia citizens." Ginny said calmly, trying not to point out how contradictory Hermione's laws were. Hermione prided equality but only those who obeyed her were equal made no sense to Ginny. "We are all still equal under our Empress's enlightened leadership and as such all entitled to certain basic human necessities like healthcare, especially for those whose poor health has been caused by the Empress's military."

"Some of us are more equal than others." Snorted the vile corporal with a contemptuous sneer at Ginny. "Only those who are truly loyal to the Empress can claim the equality she offers her subjects. Tell you what though, it's been a while since I had a hot piece of ass like yourself, so why don't you and your pretty friend so if both of you take care of my needs, then I'll let you cross. The girls here just aren't hot enough cos of the effects of living on a river needed to remove the waste of the factory. That being said, some of them can eat a cunt pretty well, especially when there's a chance for a little food or medicine."

Ginny was furious now. This was a clear example of the scum who saw that serving Hermione loyally allowed them to indulge in their own greed and lusts without repercussions. They abused the authority vested in them and because they got the results the Hermione wanted the bitch didn't care what they did on the side, especially if it helped terrify her citizens into following her laws. Before Ginny could give the lowly corporal a piece of her mind Luna walked forward until she was inches from the corporal though still significantly shorter than the butch woman.

"Listen here dyke me and my friend don't give a shit about your pathetic needs and desires." Luna said getting in the corporal's face. "We have traveled a long fucking way from our cushy jobs in the capital, where we serve the Empress for the betterment of her people, to this fucking backwoods shithole to aid the citizens here because they are entitled to such aid as we are all equal in the Fire Utopia. Now my fiancé happens to be a senior member of the military and he can fuck you over and send you so some small lonely outpost on the outermost island where all you will have to pleasure yourself is your own fingers as you will be alone out there. He won't appreciate some lowly corporal trying to extort a blowjob from his woman. I may enjoy the occasional cunt but only with my fiancé and only with someone who is almost as hot as me which you, bitch, certainly do not qualify for. So let us through and allow us to do our fucking job or else I will report you."

To Ginny's irritation the officer just smirked at Luna before she backed away and let the girls through and onto the dock. Ginny wasn't sure how accurate Luna's words were but decided to never ask her about them, there were many things she didn't want to ever know and her brother's sex life with her best friend was near the top of the list. Ginny knew that if she did ask, Luna would not hide any graphic details from her, details Ginny never wanted to know.

"I always liked a girl with some fire." The corporal said as they passed. "Makes it even more pleasurable to break them. Go on and help the scum on the river if you want though the sludge there is contributing more to the Fire Utopia than they are. I'll be here if you change your mind."

Ginny and Luna ignored the woman as they walked past. Ginny noted that the other soldier, the male private, had not been focusing on them at all during the exchange. Well at least he wasn't a creep like his corporal, likely just some down trodden citizen who had been conscripted into the military because he couldn't do anything else. Soon they were on the dock and greeted by a local ferryman. He was a short man with a ragged gray beard and hair and a cross-eyed gaze.

"Howdy ladies name's Dock how can I be of service to you today." The ferryman said to them in a jovial tone with just a hint of madness.

"Passage for two to Jang Hui please." Ginny said.

"That will be one herm each." Dock said holding out his hand.

Ginny dug in her pocket and pulled out 2 pentagonal silver coins with a picture of Hermione on one side and a flame erupting from an open book on the other. They had learned that the open book was the symbol the Enlightened as it showed their knowledge and wisdom while the flame specified the person as part of the fire branch.

Still the fact that Hermione had not only put her own picture on all currency but had named it after her showed how arrogant and narcissistic she was. It was all part of her attempt to forge a cult of personality around her that would get the citizens on her side over time, time that Team Avatar intended to not give the bitch. Dropping the coins in the man's hand the girls got into the small motorboat. Turning the engine on Dock guided them through the foul river and to the floating city.

When they got off the boat and onto the small dock that the city had Ginny could feel the pain and despair in the city. From the cliff they hadn't been able to see how shabby and dilapidated the place looked but that was nothing to what it was like up close. It reeked of the sewage and chemicals that had been dumped in the river by the factory, coating everything with a layer of sludgy grime that could not be good for the wood and bamboo. The buildings were poorly maintained and looked like they would collapse soon but that was nothing compared to the people.

All around Ginny could see sick and dying men, women and children. A small hospice had been set up near the dock but there was no one there to look after the people who lay in it, some moaning, others lying still in either sleep or death, Ginny could not tell. It was a pitiful sight and a testament to Hermione's lack of concern for her own citizens who she claimed she had freed.

Under Iroh this place had been a bustling fishing city that provided a good portion of fish to the surrounding area and a popular tourist destination due to its unique nature and history from the 100 year war. Now it was a diseased death trap filled with forgotten souls who were slowly dying and falling into the river they had spent their whole lives on. The only people walking around and looking healthy were the few soldiers stationed there, most wearing masks to protect themselves from the smell and chemicals in the air. The few that didn't have masks had disgusted looks on their faces from the smell and the fact that they had to be here, while a couple of them were just bored. Many of them had contempt in their eyes, while others had wandering eyes for the objects of their lust that settled often on her and Luna.

It all made Ginny sick. They needed to free this place from both the military and the pollution. She could heal most of the citizens but only with clean water. Ginny couldn't commune with the spirits as well as her fiance could, but she knew that the Painted Lady was in pain once more as her people were suffering yet again at the hands of a ruthless despot who cared not for the average citizens but ensuring her own power.

"Dock you wouldn't happen to know someone who could show us around?" Luna asked their ferryman and breaking Ginny's dark thoughts on the area.

"Of course I'll just go get my twin Xu." Dock said disappearing behind a small fish stand and reappearing a second later wearing a different hat. "Howdy folks the name's Xu I'm the town's fish merchant, well the only one not sick or dead yet. As such I am also the town's tour guide."

"But you are also the ferryman." Ginny said confused.

"Oh you must have met my brother Dock yes he does love that boat of his." Xu said with a wide smile.

"But…" Ginny began.

"Just go with it." Luna whispered to her. "I think the chemicals in the water have caused some damage to his brain unfortunately. I heard there was a similar effect during the 100 year war and in other places where citizens have been forced to drink polluted water like this."

Ginny just nodded and decided not to question the man, it would be better to get him the help he needed once the place was free so she would go along with him for now. The chemicals may have caused some form of multiple personalities in the man but at least he was still cognizant of his surroundings and capably of explaining things to them.

Ginny and Luna followed Xu as he led them around the city showing off the various attractions, all of which had since been closed due to the pollution and in a dire need of a cleaning, including the statue of the Painted Lady in the center of the city. The place was really sad and in desperate need of liberation. She would have to tell Harry about it and ensure that he freed the citizens, a fact that she knew Harry would do without hesitation.

"How many here are sick?" Ginny asked when the tour was over and they had returned to Xu's fish stand.

"All of us are." Xu said and yet managed to sound happy, probably due to his current mental state. The factory was reopened about 5 years ago back when the Firelord's reign ended and the Fire Empress's began, about a week or so after her coronation if memory serves me right. Dunno why she wanted it opened again after all the documented damage it had done over a century ago but she did. Now it has gunked up our river even worse than last time due to the modernization of the world and the ability to produce so much more than during the reign of Ozai."

"Is there nothing you can do about it?" Luna asked, the concern clear in her voice.

"We've tried to lodge complaints and requests with the capital and the Empress herself, but you two are the first representatives that we have seen in over 4 years." Xu said still smiling. "The last time they came they didn't come to help us but to detain our leaders for complaining about the policies of the Empress. Never did see them again but the soldiers came in the next day, began work on those watch towers, and took control of our fair city. They told us that the traitors who had lead us before were in custody and that now we were to be overseen directly by the General in charge of the factory. Apparently he is a loyal supporter to our enlightened Empress from before her rise to power so he can be trusted to ensure that we follow the laws laid down by Empress Hermione the Savior. Not that they've done anything to actually help us mind you. I would say that about 5,000 of us have died in the last 4 years from the pollution and nearly twice that are currently sick to the point that they will likely die over the next 5 years of the Empress's reign."

"Well your plight is almost over." Ginny said with a steely look at the man. "We will radio our boss in the capital and request extra help right away. No citizen should be forced to endure these conditions, no matter how great the need for metals and other raw materials is."

"Thank you." Xu said and Ginny thought he was beaming at her but couldn't be sure. "We have asked the Painted Lady to aid us like she did last time but alas we haven't heard from her yet. I'll go fetch Dock the sooner you get back the sooner we can get the aid we need."

With that the man ducked down behind his stall and reappeared in the ferryman's hat.

"Come on ladies, Xu told me you would help." Dock said with the same smile as Xu and Ginny had the desire to roll her eyes at the man but refrained out of politeness. "I'll get you back to the mainland double time. Don't worry about a fair, your promise of aid will cover that."

Ginny and Luna looked at each other before following the multiple personality man into his boat. They would certainly aid the floating city though probably not in the way Dock or Xu or whoever he was would expect. What they would do would be even better for the citizens of Jang Hui then just healing them, they would free them.

* * *

While his friends were off on their own missions Harry had continued to meditate in the center of their camp, trying to commune with the spirits in the area. Harry had been doing so for a few hours with no luck when he suddenly felt a cool mist envelope him just as he was about to get frustrated at the lack of progress. Opening his eyes Harry saw that the entire camp had become shrouded in a cool, white, mist. Standing in front of him was a tall woman with luminescent white skin, flowing jet black hair and red paint on her face and shoulders. She wore an elegant, flowing white dress and an enormous matching hat with a weird reverse veil thing behind it. Harry knew at once that she was the spirit of the Painted Lady. He had made contact with her.

"Avatar, the bridge between the worlds, thank you for coming." The spirit said in a lilting, feminine voice that was laced with pain. "Once more I must ask you for help cleaning my river and freeing my devoted followers from the pollution of the factory and the lust for power that some humans posses. I cannot help as the pollution poisons me as well as the river I protect. I can only come to you as you are the bridge between the worlds and seek your aid in my time of need. I am glad that you have once more come here. Please help me Avatar Harry."

"I will free this river of the pollution that Hermione has inflicted upon it my noble lady." Harry said as he looked at the spirit conviction clear in his voice, as was his reverence for the famous spirit. "You have my word as the Avatar that I will do everything within my power to correct the harms done upon you, your people and your river by the evil inflicted upon it by Hermione the Cruel."

"Thank you Avatar." The Painted Lady said with a sad smile before she faded back into the Spirit World and the mist dissipated with her.

As soon as the mist cleared Harry saw his friends heading over to the camp returning from their respective fact finding missions. They had grim but determined looks on their faces and Harry knew that they had found out what he had sent them to find out and that they would liberate this area tonight. As they reached the camp and sat down around their leader Harry looked at them and nodded. It was time to plan and execute the next move for the LFTM. It was time to deal another blow to Hermione's power and oppression. It was time to free Jang Hui.

 **Again sorry that this chapter is several hours late, I will try to avoid it in the future. On the note about upload times, for the next several weeks the upload time will be midnight on Mondays EST, not GMT as it has been prior. Anyway, as y'all can probably tell this chapter and the next few in Book 2 is based of events in Book 3: Fire from Avatar: The Last Airbender and is designed to show that there are some similarities to how Hermione and Ozai treated their citizens though Hermione is much more internally focused while Ozai was focused on world domination. That's enough for this chapter's post note,** **as always keep letting me know what you think of this story in the reviews and any questions asked in reviews or PMs to me will be answered at the start of next week's chapter when it is released, hopefully on time. Until next week.**

 **Stringdog**


	11. Chapter 11

**Here is the 11th chapter of Book 2 on time as always. Due to my schedule on Monday's going forward there is a chance in the coming weeks that I upload late on Sunday night rather than at midnight Monday morning but the change will only mean that chapters arrive a few hours earlier than usual. Otherwise there is nothing new to add here so sit back and enjoy the latest installment in Avatar: The Tale of Harry. Book 2: Equality.**

 **Disclaimer: As always I won nothing related to either of these two great works of fiction.**

 **Chapter 11**

Harry prepared their dinner while he listened to his friends recount their interactions that afternoon and what they had learned about the area, the factory and the situation in the floating city. Both pairs had had significant interactions with locals and/or soldiers that required a while to explain, pretty much the entire time Harry was making their dinner.

As they were living on the road their meals consisted mainly of easy to cook rice, dried meats and fruit and noodles that had been loaded into the truck when they stopped to pickup supplies along the was no different. After making a large pot of rice, Harry cooked up some plain noodles in a vegetable broth. For those like Ron, Neville and Ginny who had grown up with a meat centric diet and they had dried jerky, mostly hippo cow jerky as that was the most plentiful and healthiest in the Fire Nation. This way Ron could get his meat fix of the day and they didn't accidentally mix in meat with the meal and force Luna to eat the fruit and nuts they had brought to snack on. Of course no one ever actually said that Ron needed a meat fix lest they wanted a comment or tale about the last time Luna blew Ron, but it was still known that at least Ron couldn't go a day without consuming some kind of dead animal and Harry knew that Ron had eaten some odd animals in his life.

Once his friends were done, including a word for word recount of the vile lecherous corporal from Luna, Harry put his now finished food bowl down and told his friends of his brief encounter with the Painted Lady. His encounter had been a lot briefer than his friends' encounters so it was a quick recount for them.

"Well that settles it then." Ginny said firmly. Harry knew that as a healer Ginny was the most compassionate and empathetic of them and the plight of Jang Hui had affected her the most. "We must free these people tonight."

"Agreed but what should the plan be?" Ron asked stroking his now nearly bushy beard thoughtfully. "We would need to split up with one team taking the factory and one taking Jang Hui and hit both simultaneously to prevent reinforcements coming from either of them. I think myself and Ginny should deal with Jang Hui as it is on the water and our waterbending would make us the best fighters there given the proximity to our element and we can put out any flames that set fires from over zealous soldiers. As for the factory I would say Harry and Neville are the best for that as it will have a lot of metal, lava and possibly fire making their talents better suited for crippling it. Luna should be in the air keeping an eye out from above and to deal with the watch towers in Jang Hui. We can also assume that they will have jet skis or similar military style water vehicles so that the soldiers stationed at the factory can easily access the floating city and vice versa in case of emergencies."

"The teams make sense." Harry said nodding in agreement with Ron. "It plays to our strengths and as we will all be going in with masks on to conceal our faces it won't matter that we reveal our bending though I will stick with earth and metalbending tonight and only use lava if I absolutely have to so as to prevent from being identified as the Avatar. It will add to the LFTM's mystique and reputation if we show that we could be from out of the Fire Nation given our different bending abilities. It may also throw that bitch a bit to realize that a small terrorist cell, in her eyes not ours as we are only attacking legitimate targets under the laws of war, from outside has snuck past her blockade and started wrecking havoc in her precious utopia."

"Good idea." Ron agreed. "It could cause her to make a mistake that would allow the United Forces to breach the blockade as we know that at least a portion of the United Navy is stationed outside of firing range of the blockade just in case a gap appears. You're learning tactics well Harry."

"I have a good teacher for my tactical master." Harry said with a nod of respect to Ron's skills. "But there is one thing I think we should change from your plan."

"And that is?" Ron asked, not offended just curious as Ron would be the first to admit that he wasn't infallible and would always take an improvement to his plan.

"I dress and pose as the Painted Lady." Ginny said a steely glint in her eyes. Harry wasn't sure if she had guessed his suggestion or if she had already planned on it but it didn't matter, Ginny was right.

"Correct." Harry said squeezing his fiance's hand. "When this place was last cleared of pollution and the evil of an autocratic, militaristic dictator's troops polluting the river at the end of the 100 year war, Katara started her attacks dressed as the Painted Lady to inspire the people of Jang Hui and give them hope. It makes sense that Ginny does the same. It will reinforce the lost legend of when Katara did it, as well as the mystique of the Painted Lady herself, and hopefully strike some fear into these soldiers so that they don't pollute this place again."

"Makes sense." Ron said nodding in agreement. "Very well Ginny you had better go get ready for this role, Luna I think you should help as you know the spirits better than any of us and can make sure that Ginny is at least passable as the Painted Lady. One last thing, I think we should try to capture the general who runs the factory, he may be able to provide some useful information on Hermione and the military in the area."

"I concur but I will not torture him for information." Harry said firmly. "We will not sink to their level to extract information. I understand and accept that enhanced interrogation techniques are needed in specific circumstances when there is a time crunch and we know what we are looking for but this is not one of them and as such I will not permit torture of a captured enemy when it is not necessary. Fear and threaten yes, but nothing that crosses the line and goes into physical or psychological harm."

"Of course I would never ask you to do anything you wouldn't be comfortable with." Ron said respectfully. "I will conduct it, after working for the RCPD for 2 years I know the right balance between fear and arrogance to get these fuckers talking. Seeing as we are expecting this general to be a zealot, only a zealot would reach this kind of position in Hermione's military, he might start ranting and raving anyway if we take him alive."

"Agreed and if that is all we should get ready." Harry said getting up from the earth stool he had made himself and going to his bags in the truck to get his black stealth clothes and mask to change into his combat gear.

In short order they were all ready, only Ginny's makeup took long to sort out as they had to go off Harry's memory of the Painted Lady. Now though she was almost the spitting image of the Painted Lady down to the white dress that Ginny had brought just in case it would be needed. The hat was the only difference as they had opted to go with a veil rather than the odd hat thing the Painted Lady wore when she appeared to Harry, mainly because they didn't have a hat like that. Ron pointed out that Ginny should have white arm coverings going from her wrists to the top of her shoulders so as to hide the distinctive Water Tribe tattoos on her forearms and shoulders. Harry cursed for not realizing this sooner but agreed and they used bandages from their first aid kit to to accomplish this.

Since getting engaged Ginny had said to Harry that she intended to get a badgermole, the original earthbender, tattooed on her back and the crests of Omashu and the Earth Kingdom just above the badgermole on the backs of her shoulder blades to symbolize her union to Harry and becoming part of the Earth Kingdom and the Imperial State of Omashu as well as being a member of the Water Tribe. However, she would wait until they were married to get the ink done. Not to be outdone Ron had promised to get similar tattoos of the Air Nation crest on the right side of his chest opposite the Southern Water Tribe crest and an air bison flying beneath the moon on his back after he and Luna wed to symbolize his affiliation with the Air Nation through Luna.

Luna was wearing her glider suit though it had been dyed black and she wore the same stealth mask with only a slit for her eyes that Harry Neville and Ron all wore with the exception that hers was skin tight to increase her aerodynamics and make her faster and more agile in the air. Night had fallen now so the time had come to begin the latest action of the LFTM.

"Good luck." Harry said to his friends. "Neville and I will come and help with the soldiers once the plant is destroyed and the general in custody."

"Or we will come and help you of we are the first to complete our objective." Ginny said with a smirk.

Harry just nodded at that as he and Neville turned and ran along the cliff and towards the factory in the distance, there was no need for anymore words with the others. The time for words was over, the time for action had begun. Harry didn't need to look back to know that Luna had taken to the air while Ron and Ginny had jumped off the cliff and were likely bending the water in the river to catch them when they landed and begin their assault on the soldiers who occupied Jang Hui. The second act of liberation by the LFTM had begun.

* * *

Harry and Neville continued to hurry along the side of the cliff, towards the factory. Once they were a safe distance from their camp, Harry halted Neville and began to earthbend them towards the factory and a small wave of earth. As they approached the fence Harry saw the two still slightly tipsy guards. Harry did not wish to kill needlessly so he sent two small rocks at the heads of the tipsy guards, besides the pair had been helpful and didn't seem to be fanatics so Harry decided to do all he could to spare them. Both rocks found their targets and cleanly knocked the guards out. They would wake with killer headaches but live so long as this are remained undamaged.

Once they reached the fenced Harry raised the earth higher so that he and Neville were on an earth wave that crashed through the perimeter fence of the factory with ease, any electricity or other surprises completely negated. Instantly there were sounds of alarm as it they approached the nearest wall of the massive factory.

"Go find the control room, take it at all cost and wait for me, lethal force is authorized by the edict of the Avatar acting in the course of his duties to the world." Harry yelled at Neville.

Neville didn't reply, he just used fire jets to propel himself into the air and onto the roof of the factory. Harry watched as his friend rolled on landing and then began sprinting across the roof, looking through the skylights for the control room.

Harry turned his attention to the rapidly approaching factory as he slammed the earth wave into the wall with all the force he could bring to bear without augmenting his abilities by going into the Avatar State, making sure that he was behind the crest of the wave. The wall buckled like it was made of tin foil. The force of the blow caused the whole factory to shake.

Given the time of day Harry assumed that the only people present were military personal as he doubted any workers would be active at night. In fact, Harry wouldn't be surprised if the whole factory was only operated by military and trusted civilian personnel given its importance to preserving Hermione's grip on power. Hermione may use slave labor, masquerading as criminal punishment against any who opposed her who had been imprisoned for crimes that wouldn't be crimes anywhere else on the planet, for many things but something like this military factory producing vital metal from ores struck Harry as too important for the mad bitch who proclaimed herself a benevolent Empress and protector of equality to use her forced labor force on.

Protecting himself from the impact in a cocoon of earth on the back of the wave, Harry removed it and moved to stand on the large mound of earth he had used to knock on the factory's door. Harry was just inside one likely many smelting sections of the factory and marveled at the sight before him. There was a was a large, hot furnace right in the center of the room. Lava was present in the floor under grates, tools for smelting lined the metal walls and large cooling vats were on the walls. Using his earthbending to leap onto the metal gangway that crisscrossed the upper area of the smelting room, Harry drew his short swords and ran towards the central building. That was likely where the control room was located.

"Freeze intruder." A gruff voice commanded Harry from his side as he ran past a junction in the gangway. Harry turned to see an officer and what appeared to be 4 enlisted soldiers approaching him from the perpendicular walkway. "In the name of the Fire Utopia Army and our glorious and benevolent Empress Hermione the Savior, I order you to lay your weapons down and surrender to my authority to face punishment for your crimes. You have committed an act of treason against her highness, a crime punishable by death. Surrender is your only chance at not being executed by being thrown into the lava in this room by me, as an officer of Her Majesty's Army I have the ability to issue a summery execution in cases of treason."

"Honestly I would rather be executed by being throw alive into lava, an international crime against humanity by the way due to the summary nature of it and the sheer horror of the execution, then being worked to death in one of the mad bitch's slave labor camps." Harry said calmly as he turned towards the soldiers and began to walk towards the small unit noting, his swords spinning expertly in his hands, the look of shock on the officer's face at his insult of Hermione. He could use metalbending to defeat them but why bother when using his swords may lead investigators into assuming that there were more than two attackers and aid in the misdirection that the LFTM was trying to create. "And bitch, I just destroyed most of a wall to get into this tool of oppression, what the fuck are you smoking to think that I would willingly surrender to you or that you have a chance against me in a fight. I have a counter offer however. Stand down and live or attack me and run the risk of death. I, unlike Hermione, do not kill needlessly but I will in order to protect myself against those who aid her in oppressing her own citizens."

"Then you leave us no choice." The officer said with a smug smile before barking to his men, at least Harry thought they were all men based on their appearances, as he himself took a step back and took a fighting stance. "Seize that fucking terrorist scum."

Harry sighed; they were going to do this then. Two unarmed soldiers advanced forward and Harry knew that they were firebenders as soon as they raised their fists. They both took a short hop forward and punched a fire ball at him while taking a powerful stance. Harry raised his arms up and the metal gangway rose and redirected the fire balls up and harmlessly into the ceiling.

"Fuck, this wanker is a metalbender as well." The officer shouted, the surprise evident in his voice.

The firebenders both jumped in the air and used fire jets to propel themselves up and over the top of the gangway that Harry had bent upwards. Harry could tell that neither where experience with this particular move as they struggled to get over the obstacle in front of them and their inexperience allowed Harry to easily counter them. Harry bent his knees and using a little metalbending to augment his leap, jumped into the air. As the two surprised looking firebenders were falling to meet him, Harry twisted his body and kicked the one on his left in the gut while slashing the one on the right across the chest with one of his swords.

Harry heard both cry out as the one on the left was thrown backwards from his kick and fell 20 feet to the floor of the factory and landed with a sickening thud that at the very least knocked him out of the fight with several broken bones, if not killing him outright. The other firebender landed hard on the guard rail and fell off to the ground of the factory as well though not before spilling a little blood onto the gangway.

Harry couldn't tell if they were alive or not and knew he didn't have time to check. Lowering the gangway and walking onto the now warped metal he slowly strode towards the two armed nonbenders and the officer, swords spinning again in his hands. Both remaining enlisted men had straight swords drawn. One had a steely determination and look of hate on his face; the other clearly did not want to be there and had a look of utter panic in his wide eyes at fighting a clearly superior opponent.

"How dare you betray our glorious, beloved, Empress and the equality she has provided us." The determined soldier yelled at Harry. Well there was no reasoning with this man, Harry could see the zeal in the man's eyes and knew he would fight to the death for Hermione. "You will die for your treason against her."

"I guess there is no point in mentioning that your nation has been come the most oppressed, backwards, fucked up and tyrannical in the world." Harry said as the man charged at him bringing down a powerful overhand strike that Harry caught in the upturned hilt of the sword in his left hand before stabbing his right sword upwards into the man's gut. The soldier grunted with the impact as Harry's blade impaled him and erupted out of the soldier's lower back. "Or that your officer just sent you to die at my hand, how is that not equal when he is the one ordering you and not fighting by your side."

"The military needs structure and order." The man spluttered out as he coughed blood into Harry's face, his mask protecting him from the worst of it. "We need officers and soldiers. It is an honor to die in battle for the glorious Fire Utopia and our benevolent Empress."

Harry was impressed at the man's composure with a sword buried to the hilt in his gut before he died with the look of hate still etched onto his face. Harry quickly removed his sword and the man's lifeless body fell to the gangway next to him, his blood dripping through the grated floor and down to the ground below. Harry turned to the remaining soldier and his now furious officer.

"Fuck this shit, I only joined because it was the military service or manual labor until I died." The remaining soldier said. "I did not sign up to be killed in a fucking factory by a damned powerful earthbender."

"Do your duty for the Fire Utopia and your Empress boy." The officer said as he summoned a fire ball. "WE must all fight to the death for her."

"Fuck you asshole, I didn't sign up to die in this place." The man shouted back.

Before his officer could throw the fire ball at the soldier or Harry, the latter easily ripped the steel sword from the terrified man's hand and metalbent it into the chest of the officer about to kill him. The officer staggered back looking at the sword perturbing from his chest as he backed into the guard rail and tumbled backwards over it, he was dead long before before he hit the floor.

The terrified and now unarmed soldier turned to face Harry, fear and pleading in his eyes. Harry would have liked to ask the man a few questions but he didn't have the time to spare. Instead Harry used the pommel of the sword in his right hand to strike the soldier in the temple and knock the man out before he broke into a run heading for the center of the factory where he assumed the control room was based on the sudden flash of lightning from a room in the center of the wall.

It didn't take Harry long to reach the control room of the factory. It was located on the highest level and near the center of the facility with a view over the furnaces in the room Harry was in with likely a view of whatever was on the other side of the central wall. As Harry made his way to the control room he noticed lava in squares on the floor of the factory below him and smiled to himself, it would do nicely in destroying this place.

As Harry approached the control room he noticed a body lying slumped on the floor outside, shattered glass from a broken skylight near the body. It was a guard and judging by the slightly smoking clothes and charred hole in his chest, a dead one at that. Harry quickly ripped the metal door of the control room off it's hinges, throwing it to the floor beneath him and calmly walked inside to find Neville standing there aiming his lightning rod at Harry. The device Neville had had created prior to the Battle of the Elemental Academy had been perfected over the last 5 years into a lethal and useful tool for a firebender.

"Harry, sorry I was a little on edge." Neville said as he lowered the rod.

"What happened?" Harry asked as he walked in a sheathed his swords in a practiced, fluid motion. He surveyed the room and noted the busted equipment and a bloody dent on the far wall, the lifeless body of the guard in charge of operating the room lay on the ground beneath it, also smoking slightly.

"Had a little trouble when I entered the room despite politely knocking." Neville said with a shrug. "For some reason they wouldn't let me in and kept calling me a tyrant lover and traitor to Hermione's wonderful and benevolent rule so I was forced to engage. Only dealt with these two though, haven't seen any others."

"Yeah I had to kill 4 en route." Harry said with a heavy sigh. "But we expected resistance and there will be more once the alarm wakes all the guards. Very well, is the PA system still working?"

"Yeah I made sure to check as a few things here got fried." Neville said with a sheepish grin. "Lightning is pretty destructive, especially in a small space with a shit ton of metal."

"That is to be expected when dealing with lightning." Harry agreed. "Where is the PA system for this place?"

Neville walked over to a microphone on an undamaged section of the room and flipped a switch, a red light flicked on. Harry walked to it and bent over in. Silently Neville walked to the door to stand guard, the other door had been buckled and blocked by the body of the other guard Neville had been forced to kill.

"Attention all of those present in this polluting tool of oppression." Harry said into the PA system. He could hear his voice echoing through the factory and knew that the system was working. "I and my fellow freedom fighters are members of the now infamous Liberation from Tyrants Movement, the LFTM, and we are here to free this river, the people who call it home, and this nation from the tyranny of the illegitimate dictator who oppresses her own citizens in the name of her version of equality. For too long has the Fire Nation been under the boot of Hermione the Cruel and the Enlightened she serves. For too long have you been oppressed by her twisted sense of equality. She preaches equality and yet she sees herself superior to all, she enslaves her own citizens for daring to challenge her while she just sits in the Royal Palace and lives in the lap of luxury."

At this point Harry paused and looked over to Neville to see if they were under attack yet. His friend shook his head so Harry continued with his prepared speech.

"The Enlightened and the Chosen have become the new elite here and they use their position and power to oppress you worse than even Firelord Ozai did back in his day. This factory is one such tool of oppression she uses as it provides the material needed for her to supply those loyal to her in the army, the FUICEE, the Chosen and others to force and terrify you into obeying her. Those of you who are normal soldiers, who know that what your so called enlightened leaders are doing is wrong and downright evil comparable to Voldemort, I urge you to turn on those who follow Hermione and join use in freeing this once glorious nation from her tyranny. Those who fight by my side fight for freedom, justice and true equality that this nation had under Iroh and will have once Druzok is restored to his rightful place on the thrown. We will now destroy this factory as our second act of rebellion against Hermione's tyranny after freeing the dragons she was training to use as weapons of war and the Sun Warriors who she had held in a cultural prison and forced them to change their ancient ways to fit her own vision of the world. I promise you that soon she will fall by my hand and the Fire Nation will be restored to the nation that it once was, the nation that Zuko and his descendants forged from the ashes of the 100 years war. You cannot stop us because mark my words, the Avatar will come here soon and his power is unmatched on this earth. I guarantee you that we will not kill you if you leave or surrender, we are not monsters, terrorists or tyrants who kill because we can or to ensure you follow us through fear. We will show mercy to those who peacefully lay down their arms and that mercy will not be forgotten when the tribunals for war crimes and crimes against humanity are leveled against Hermione and all those who willfully follow her. Those who do oppose us and seek to continue the oppression that has become the hallmark of Hermione's brutal reign by trying to arrest or kill us will be met with equal force. You have been warned. Freedom from tyrants, freedom from Hermione, freedom for the Fire Nation. We are the LFTM and Hermione's time has come."

With that Harry ended the transition and just in time as he heard Neville send out a bolt of lightning from his position guarding the door. Harry drew his swords again and headed to the door to join Neville in defeating those too stupid to heed his warning.

"I don't think they took your kind and truthful message too well." Neville said as Harry joined him at the door. Harry looked out and could see 15 enlisted soldiers, 10 of whom were clearly firebenders, and 3 officers around the gangways and the floor of the large factory.

"Only 18?" Harry asked as he and Neville left the control room. "I was expecting more, this is hardly a challenge. I'm not surprised though seeing as we are in a vital facility for that bitch so she would likely only have trusted officers and loyal officers here at least, the enlisted are hit or miss depending on their willingness to follow orders, intelligence and the zeal of their conviction to Hermione's rule."

"Well the others may have left to aid the soldiers in Jang Hui." Neville said as he sent a bolt of lightning at a charging nonbender, catching the man in the chest and throwing him back and screaming off the gangway to the floor below.

"True, the others should have begun the liberation of the city by now." Harry said as he dodged a fireball from a firebending corporal and responded by removing the gangway from under him sending the loyal solder plummeting to his likely death on the floor below. "And I highly doubt that they were able to take out the coms down there before a distress message was sent."

"Agreed." Neville said. "What's the plan now boss?"

"Stay up here and deal with any of the soldiers on the gangways who are foolish enough to challenge us." Harry ordered Neville. "It's time I showed them was a truly talented earthbender can do and destroy this tool of oppression once and for all."

"Er what are you going to do?" Neville asked. Harry heard the trepidation in Neville's voice but paid it no heed as he flipped over the guardrail and fell to the factory floor.

Harry landed, denting the metal floor with his metalbending to absorb the fall and prevent any injury to himself, and surveyed the hot factory floor. It had been uncomfortable on the gangways but down at the floor level it was almost unbearable. Harry didn't have time to care though, he had work to do and the heat wouldn't prevent him from completing his mission here. Before he could however he suddenly found himself surrounded by an officer armed with a metal spiked ball on a chain that he was swinging in a circle with practiced ease, and three firebending soldiers, they were the only ones who had been waiting for them on the factory floor and they quickly surrounded Harry.

"The general wants you alive." The officer said in a gruff, horse voice from the heat on this level. "Her majesty will want to personally pry the information of you pathetic rebellion from your weak mind, torture is perfectly legal to use on terrorist shit like you. Only a fool would dare stand against the Empress and her glorious and benevolent rule. Hermione the Savior has made us a truly equal nation, only the few fools like yourself who wish to return to the tyranny of the Firelords stand in our way of ensuring the Fire Utopia's greatness."

"You know I could point out all the flaws it your deluded statement but it wouldn't penetrate your thick, brainwashed, skull." Harry said in a neutral tone, he didn't have time to deal with a fanatic right now. "I seriously think they make you fuckers from a different cloth or something. Y'all are delusional to even think you have a chance in a fight against me, let alone in convincing me with the utter bullshit you spew. You literally said that the cunt will torture me then called her benevolent, a benevolent ruler would never lower themselves to torturing a prisoner unless there was such a dire emergency that they had to do it. Do you know what an oxymoron is or are you just a fucking moron?"

"Don't you dare insult the Empress." The officer bellowed clearly ignoring Harry's words. He had dealt with assholes like this during the Second Purity War with Voldemort so he shouldn't be surprised that they existed here as well, there were fanatics on both sides of the spectrum.

"Whatever." Harry said. He heard another scream from above indicating that Neville had landed another bolt of lightning on one of the soldiers. "Now before I am forced to kill you in self defense would you be so kind as to tell me where the fucking general who oversees this pollution machine is? I do wish to have a face to face with that asshole, we have a few things to discuss."

"The general has left with the remaining loyal soldiers on the jet skis to aid those under siege from a rogue spirit and two terrorists attacking the civilians of Jang Hui." The officer grunted. "We chose to stay here and take care of you and your traitorous friend for him."

"Ah good that explains where I need to go after I destroy this place." Harry said with a nod. "Good to see my fellow freedom fighters are liberating the civilians of Jang Hui from the tyranny of Hermione. Well? What the fuck are we waiting for. Bring it on bitches."

The officer roared in rage and hurled his ball and chain weapon at Harry. Harry easily stepped back from it and using his left arm, he took hold of the metal weapon with his metalbending and propelled it from the officer's hands and into the face of the soldier behind at high speed. Such was the problem with non platinum weapons, a gifted metalbender could turn them on their wielders with little difficulty.

There was a muffled scream of pain and the sound of breaking bones and the soldier's face was caved in by the spiked ball and his body was thrown back to land in a lifeless heap. Harry sensed the static of building electricity from his left side and flipped towards the solder generating lightning, just in time to avoid a bolt of lightning from the soldier to his side. The bolt struck the final soldier in the chest, killing him almost instantly thus proving why you should never directly surround your opponent.. Harry landed his flip and spun on his heels slicing the neck of the last remaining enlisted soldier in the process. As his dying body fell to the floor Harry turned to face the officer, a grim smile on his face as Harry looked into the twisted snarl on the the fanatical officer's face.

The officer had pulled out a dagger and was looking at Harry with pure hatred and determination in his eyes. Harry had to give this fucker credit, he was still willing to fight and probably die for his precious, twisted, empress despite facing almost certain defeat. He lunged at Harry's chest with a clumsy thrust showing that the man was out of practice with a bladed weapon. Harry easily deflected the attack with his left hand sword before stabbing the officer in the heart with his right hand blade with a quick, sharp and efficient thrust born of years of practice. The man groaned a death groan and collapsed to the floor as Harry withdrew his blade.

Harry quickly left the 4 bodies and hurried to the lava pits. It was time to complete his mission and destroy the factory. Sheathing his blades, Harry reached out and pulled up a stream of lava from the pit. He hurled the molten rock at the machines that ran the smelting operations, or anything that looked like it was important to the smelting operation as Harry really had no idea what most of this shit actually did. Anything the lava touched exploded in seconds as the molten earth destroyed all the vital systems of the machines. Harry was forced to pull up the metal floor to protect himself from the force of the explosion and the ensuing heat to avoid hurting himself, though he was sure he would have a few light burns when the night was over.

He repeated the attacks and defense on anything that look important until this section of the factory was a smoky, burning ruin. Hopefully the attacks would cause a chain reaction and take out other parts of the factory but Harry didn't have time to check, that could come later after they had won here and and in Jang Hui. For now, Harry had a battle to return to and a friend to help.

Harry ripped down on of the gangways to make a ramp for him to run up and rejoined Neville back up on the gangway. His friend had fought well taking down 6 of the remaining soldiers and an officer while Harry had been down destroying the factory. The remaining officer had corralled the 4 enlisted soldiers still in fighting shape to him near a set of large windows overlooking the river below. It was clear that he planned a last, desperate charge against Harry and Neville.

"Take them out boys." He bellowed.

Harry had no time for anything prolonged, they had to defeat these last soldiers as quickly as possible. Reaching out he caused the nearest lava pit to shoot up a geyser of the molten rock. He hated using lave as an offensive weapon in combat as it was way too lethal, painful, brutal and unpredictable for his tastes. He usual saved it to use as a last resort but right now he didn't have the time to be avoid using his most powerful offensive weapon, especially when there was an abundance of the stuff in the factory.

The unnaturally hot geyser of lava caught the first two soldiers, killing them almost instantly though not before both let out ear piercing screams of agony that Harry knew would haunt him in his nightmares. The remaining two instinctively leapt back from the dangerous liquid just in time. Unfortunately, one of them had jumped to the side and as such fell over the railing and into a lava pool below. Harry knew that the man's horrified death screams would add to the many nightmares that plagued him for years to come. The last didn't stand a chance as Neville caught him in the chest with a bolt of lightning as soon as he landed from his leap backwards, the bolt blasting him further back so as to lie motionless at the last officer's feet.

Harry rapidly cooled the lava that had already begun to melt the gangway as he and Neville approached the last surviving officer, lightly jumping the very unstable section of the gangway that had been struck by the lava. He had a shocked look on his face that Harry and Neville had handled all of the soldiers and officers so efficiently and he was already backing up slightly as the two members of Team Avatar approached him. That shock turned to recognition as his brain processed what had just occurred in front of his eyes.

"Y-you're a-a lavabender." He stuttered out starring at Harry his eyes wide with fear. "There's … there's only two confirmed lavabenders living in the world."

"I know." Harry said coldly as as he approached the officer. "So which one of those two confirmed lavabenders does that make me because trust me, I am one of those two living lavabenders."

"Avatar Harry." The officer almost whispered out with a tremor of terror in his voice as he realized Harry's identity under the mask. "I … I was told you would never come, that you feared the Empress because you knew she was right and were too arrogant, intolerant, racist and bigoted to admit it. That you knew she was better than you at firebending and a much better person to lead the world to true balance and equality. That's why you never intervened here, because you knew that what Empress Hermione the Savior was doing was the right thing for the world."

"No." Harry said the anger at Hermione's lies about him clear in his voice as he slowly walked towards the man. "I did not come because of the fucking blockade your coward of a dictator set up to prevent us from removing her from her illegitimate power. I was not going to waste countless good lives of the men and women of the United Navy, nor those of the other navies of the world, in a bloody attempt to breach the blockade. Too much blood was spilt during the two Purity Wars and the good people of the world are too weary of war to start a new one. It was a terrible call to make to allow Hermione the Cruel to subjugate, oppress and terrorize her own people in the name of equality and it one that I will always feel guilty about but it was a necessary call as more would have died in a full scale war but mark my words, that bitch will pay for all of her crimes. No, I had to use a desperate strategy and make a deal with a person nearly as vile and evil as your precious empress just to get passed the blockade you have here. I have wanted to take the cunt down and see her in chains and locked up for the rest of her natural life since she tried to kill me at the Academy almost 6 years ago. I knew she would be a problem at some point down the line, I just had a bigger insane extremist in Voldemort and his fucking Death Eaters to deal with first. I am the only person who can bring balance to the world and if you haven't realized it yet, the Fire Nation is out of balance. I am here to restore it. Surrender or die, that is your choice."

"The Fire Utopia is the only balanced nation in the world." The man yelled as the zeal of a fanatic returned to his voice. Clearly what Harry had said had set him off and the officer had decided to chose death over surrender tonight.

The officer then lunged at Harry with a fire punch. Harry was easily close enough to deflect the man's arm so that the fire blasted harmlessly past Harry. In one smooth motion Harry slammed his right palm into the officer's chin with all the force he could muster, fueling his blow with the anger he felt towards Hermione and her cruelty. He heard the officer's jaw shatter, his neck break and his teeth splinter from the power of the blow Harry had dealt him. The dying officer collapsed to the ground, dead in seconds.

"Let's get out of here and help the others." Harry said as he looked over at Neville, unable to read his friend's expression through the mask.

He didn't wait for Neville's reply as he ran towards the wall underneath the windows facing the river below them. Once Harry neared the wall, he metalbent a hole in it and leapt into the night. Harry then used his airbending to slow his descent to the ground until he landed lightly on the waterside ledge that ran to the Jet Ski dock. Neville landed next to him a moment later, using his firebending to arrest his own fall.

"Come on I'll drive." Harry said as he ran to the dock and got onto one of the few remaining jet skis and turning it on. Neville got onto the pillion seat behind him and Harry took off using what little knowledge he had about the craft to drive it towards the floating city in the distance.

As soon as they were clear of the cliffs that the factory was set into, Harry put the jet ski into full speed, much to Neville's annoyance at the recklessness of Harry's driving. They were racing after what looked like 10 other jet skis, each carrying two people, that were in the distance, traversing to polluted waters towards the floating city of Jang Hui. Harry could just make out the signs of battle in Jang Hui as he powered the Jet Ski as fast as possible after the reinforcements sent to take on his fiance, best friend and Luna.

The reckless pursuit paid off as he and Neville quickly gain on the other Jet Skis. As soon as they were within Harry's metalbending range he slowed down a little, reached out with his left hand and caused the nearest Jet Ski to come to an abrupt stop flinging it's driver and passenger over the handlebars and into the filthy water.

Suddenly before Harry could attack another jet ski a massive wave appeared on the river. It was coming from the city and heading towards the jet skis. Harry had little doubt who was responsible for the powerful display of waterbending before him. The size concerned Harry as he knew that there were very few reasons as to why Ron would need to create such a wave.

"I wonder what made Ron so pissed that he would display that level of power." Neville yelled over the sound of the engine as Harry began to slow the Jet Ski down.

"Yes I wonder how his, Ginny and Luna's mission went." Harry said in response as the wave began to move towards them and thinking what the fuck he was going to do when that thing reached them.

 **I couldn't resist leaving this chapter on a nice little cliffhanger for y'all to enjoy. Don't worry, next chapter will be the chapter that deals with the liberation of Jang Hui and includes one of my favorite scenes that I have written or planned in any of the books in this series or the currently story boarded Regulus spinoff. Of course y'all will have to wait for that scene as I won't be giving away any spoilers. Nothing else to add here as this was a straightforward, simple chapter dealing with the assault on the factory so nothing that might need clarification here. A** **s always keep letting me know what you think of this story in the reviews and any questions asked in reviews or PMs to me will be answered at the start of next week's chapter when it is released on time as usual. Until next week.**

 **Stringdog**


	12. Chapter 12

**Here is the 12th chapter of Book 2 on time as always. Between this, my other active story (a oneshot series for a cartoon series I got hooked on a while back) and my academic life, I may be late at times with my uploads but seeing as this entire book has been written and only needs final edits, those late uploads should be few and far between. Other than that, there is nothing new to add here so sit back and enjoy the latest installment in Avatar: The Tale of Harry. Book 2: Equality.**

 **Disclaimer: As always I won nothing related to either of these two great works of fiction.**

 **Chapter 12**

While Harry and Neville were running off to go deal with the factory, Ron and Ginny had jumped from the cliff and into the water, using their bending to catch them so as to avoid any injury and to keep them dry. In moments they were running across the surface of the sludge filled river, freezing as they ran to maintain their pace, and headed towards the floating city of Jang Hui. As they ran, Ron and Ginny turned their spray into a dense mist to shroud them and add another element of the Painted Lady legend to the attack. As they were doing this Luna was soaring overhead and aiming for one of the guard towers. Ron hoped that his fiance would take out the radio and avoid raising the alarm which would bring backup. Alas that hope was in vain.

They hadn't even reached the city when an alarm gong was sounded very loudly signalling the guards to their impending arrival. The alarm and now mobilized guards would make the upcoming battle a tough one as there were a lot of civilians, many sick and dying, around on the floating city and they could get in the way. While Team Avatar would try as hard as they could to avoid injuring or killing innocent civilians, the soldiers may not share their sentiments on collateral damage and casualties.

This was especially true if any of the soldiers were fanatically loyal to Hermione and her ideals. Those kind of people would probably just see the citizens as a hindrance in preventing them from taking down the traitors that they perceived Team Avatar to be. Should they do that then there was a high chance that the soldiers would consider the citizens an expendable and justifiable loss in their efforts to bring Ron, Ginny and Luna to their warped and twisted version of justice.

"You focus on healing after you make your presence know." Ron yelled at his sister as they neared the city. "I'll deal with any of the soldiers as best I can."

"Ok but circle round and attack from the side, I need to proclaim myself and let the soldiers have a chance at surrender." Ginny shouted back.

Ron just nodded and branched off from his sister and began to run around the city as fast as he could, creating a ring of mist around the city. Luna was following him up in the air, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.

While Ron was doing this, Ginny sped up towards the center of the floating city. Once there, she raised herself up on the water and propelled herself into the air. As gracefully as she could in the dress, hat and veil she had to wear, she landed on the Painted Lady statue in the center of Jang Hui. Ginny hit it a little harder than she had planned and almost toppled the statue over as she clung to it for dear life. After a precarious wobble it settled down and she was able to survey the city. Those who could had gathered in the center of the city and were now gawking at her while 10 soldiers, most benders, ran to encircle her and force the people away from the sudden appearance of a woman in a white dress that was somehow still pristine despite running across the filthy river.

"It's the Painted Lady!" Xu yelled before switching hats to Dock's and continuing. "She's returned to save us just as she did almost 150 years ago. I should know my namesake was present back then and witnessed her power."

"Move back you filthy river scum." A gruff female officer barked as she viciously backhanded Dock sending the old man sprawling to the wooden floor of the city before she turned to Ginny. "What the fuck do you want? Spirits are on the side of Empress Hermione the Savior and her noble quest for equality, which as you can see has been achieved in the Fire Utopia."

"I am the Painted Lady." Ginny said in her best attempt at a spirit's voice while trying to hold back her anger at the officer's statement. How dare that bitch invoke the will of the spirits to justify her cruelty, just another thing to add to the list of lies that Hermione was telling these people. "I am the protector of Jang Hui and the river it is named after. You have once again defiled my river with pollution from a factory of war. You have poisoned the inhabitants, your own fellow citizens, and brutally oppressed them in the name of a twisted sense of equality. For that you will face justice and the city of Jang Hui will once again be saved."

"We are all equals here, there is no oppression in the Fire Utopia under our benevolent and enlightened Empress Hermione the Savior." The female officer barked back at Ginny before she savagely kicked Xu, the weirdo had once again changed hats, in the gut as he was about to make a point from his position on the floor. "If the criminals and lunatics here actually realized that fact and stop getting in the way of our enlightened Empress's wishes then they would be as equal and free as us. However they defy the Empress's will and that is a crime punishable by loss of rights in the Fire Utopia. "

"You just showed your oppression over your fellow citizen when you assaulted him for no reason." Ginny yelled back from her perch. She was struggling to contain her temper at these monsters that used the military and the laws of Hermione as a justification for their own cruelty. "It is you and your tyrannical Empress who are the true oppressors of the Fire Nation. I and my minions are here to free this city and area of your oppression, tyranny and pollution and to cure the citizens of the illness that you and the Empress have inflicted upon them. No more will these people, or all citizens of the Fire Nation suffer under the boots of a few who claim enlightenment as an excuse to elevate themselves to an elite class, who use their so called wisdom to settle old grudges and to justify the oppression of a whole nation by lowering all to the lowest common denominator. Your day of reckoning is upon you as you face the justice of the Painted Lady."

"Fuck off, you pathetic cunt." The officer said as she took a combat stance. "Seize the spirit bitch and her minions, the royal interrogators will enjoy breaking them as they learn all these rebels and traitors have planned."

Ginny reacted instantly by leaping from the statue at the officer in charge of the contingent of soldiers stationed here. As she did so she pulled a sphere of water around herself to protect herself from the fire blasts the officer and a few of the soldiers unleashed upon her as she leapt. The force of the sphere crashed into the female officer and sent both sprawling and skidding across the now slick platform. As that happened there was an almighty crash and the whole city shook knocking most off the soldiers and citizens off their feet.

"Get inside and stay safe." Ginny ordered the civilians from the ground. "I shall come to heal the sick when the oppressors have been vanquished. People of Jang Hui, your liberation is now!"

Ginny didn't have time to check to see if the people had listened to her order as she rose and discarding the stupid hat and veil to avoid it getting in her way as she dodged a fire jet from the prone officer. As quickly as she could, Ginny got to her feet and took stock of her surrounds and the slowly raising soldiers all around her.

"Fuck, that bitch ain't no spirit, she's a fucking waterbender terrorist." The officer said before ordering her soldiers. "Leave her, this cunt is mine. Find her minions and capture them alive. Kill any of the river scum who try to aid or harbor them in the name of our glorious and benevolent Empress and the perfect Fire Utopia she has created. These are traitors and terrorists and will be dealt with as such."

Again Ginny didn't have time to see if the soldiers had obeyed their leader as she sent two streams of water at the raving officer. The prone woman showed great agility in dodging the attacks and getting to her feet with an acrobatic flip, kicking an arch of fire at Ginny as she flipped to her feet. The redhead managed to duck the flame but nearly tripped over her dress as she did so.

"Fuck this thing." Ginny said to herself as she ripped the annoying garment off in a single, practiced move.

All she was left in was a breast wrap and a pair of tight shorts, both white so as to not be seen through the dress. This was not a time to be shy about modesty, she needed to be able to fight. Her Sais had been strapped to her calves so that they didn't show but were still near here. However she didn't have time to access them as she had to duck another fire blast that took out a small fish stand though fortunately didn't set anything on fire. Hopefully the wooden city would be too damp to burn but Ginny had a feeling that she and her brother would have to extinguish quite a few fires before the night was up.

Ginny proceed to run at the now upright officer. The woman sent out another fire punch at Ginny as she stood her ground against the charging waterbender. Ginny ducked it easily and punched upwards, calling a spike of water from the river that the city floated on. As it reached the officer Ginny froze it into an ice spear that sank deep into the woman's gut, a look of shock appearing on the officer's face. As Ginny finished the move and released it the force of the blow lifted the officer into the air and hurled her screaming away from the town square. Ginny heard a distant splash that could only mean the officer had landed in the water. Ripping her Sais from their sheathes Ginny ran into the city to aid the citizens, not caring if the officer was alive or dead. It was time to join Ron in the Liberation of Jang Hui.

* * *

As soon as Ginny had been forced to attack, Ron had unleashed his own assault on the floating city in hopes of aiding his sister. He had raised himself up on a wave of water and slammed it into one of the guard towers. Ron made sure that the angle of the attack wouldn't damage any other buildings in the city while still sending the watch tower into the water, along with the two guards atop it. Leaping off the wave just before it struck the tower Ron rolled upon landing on the shaking platform of the floating city and stood, his years on ships in the Southern Water Tribe making it easy for him to stand on swaying platform. A gust of air told him that Luna had begun her own attack on one of the other towers so they were all engaging the tools of Hermione's oppression. Ron began to run into the heart of the floating city, it was time to free Jang Hui.

As Ron ran along the platforms and bridges that made up Jang Hui, he noticed that most of the civilians had either sheltered inside or were in the process of doing so. As he rounded a corner he ran into three soldiers baring his path deeper into the city. One was a bender who already had a fire whip created, leaving a streak of smoldering wood where the unnatural flames touched the deck, and two nonbenders armed with standard wooden spears topped with a sharp, pointed blade. Ron smile and cracked his neck and then his knuckles in anticipation of the fight to come. This was going to be fun.

"Seize the terrorist." The bender predictably yelled as he sent his whip at Ron.

Ron didn't bother with any trash talking, he just summoned a wave of dirty water around himself that extinguished the flames as soon as they struck it. From within his water sphere Ron began to send a series of rapid fire, dirty, ice spikes at the trio in front of him.

"What the fuck." One of the soldiers who had stopped him said, Ron couldn't see who through the dirty water. "This fucker's a fucking waterbender. How the fuck did he get here? I thought the Empress had a registry of all known waterbenders in the Fire Utopia."

"I swam here bitches." Ron yelled back and he unleashed his remaining water at the trio in the form of an arc of water. They had done well to dodge or deflect the ice he had unleashed upon them but the subsequent arc was too much for them, especially when he froze it just before impact.

The three soldiers were thrown back by the force of the attack. One of the two nonbenders fell into the water with a splash and a gurgle as he drank the foul water, there was no way he was returning to the fight anytime soon. The other two were just thrown backwards and onto the platform that constituted a floor for the floating city.

Ron was already charging forward before either had even begun to get up and had ripped one of his hunting knives from a sheath at his belt. He had left his meteorite hammer back at camp as it was too clunky for this kind of mission and had instead decided to rely on his bending, hunting knives and a few throwing knives. Before the firebender could react Ron had buried his knife deep in the man's chest and thrown him to side. His body crashed into and through a wooden building into a fortunately unoccupied house.

The last soldier had managed to get up and had begun to charge at him with his spear. It was a good attack plan but the spear was the very first weapon Ron had mastered and learned to defend against in the Southern Water Tribe so he easily sidestepped the slightly clumsy thrust. He swiftly stuck the soldier's extended left elbow with an open palm thrust so that the elbow bent the wrong way. Ron was rewarded with a satisfying crunch as the bones broke from the force of the blow. As the man screamed in pain, Ron grabbed the man's right wrist, where he was still holding the spear with his one good arm, and delivered a palm heel strike to the man's forearm, breaking it as well. As the soldier yelled in pain and dropped the spear Ron elbowed him in the jaw dislocating it, dislodging a few teeth and knocking the soldier out.

Ron hurried to retrieve his knife from the dead firebender's chest but kept it in his hand as he might need it during the fight. As soon as he returned to his mission of running towards the city's center, he was force to leap to the side as a fire ball seared past him, sent by yet another soldier and causing a nearby hut to catch on fire. Acting on impulse Ron hurled his knife the way he would one of his smaller throwing knives at the firebender, who was standing across a section of water from him, as soon as Ron had recovered from his sudden evasive dive. There was an audible, wet, sound as the blade entered the firebender's throat. The man fell back gurgling on his own blood as he died.

Ron didn't have much of a rest bit as right after he had taken out the 4th soldier he had faced he felt a blast of wind from above. Looking up he saw that Luna had dealt with the one of the watch towers but was now trying to deal with a firebending officer who was on the roof of a nearby low building and sending fire blasts the gliding form of his fiancé.

Grabbing the spear that was lying near him Ron hefted it and ran forward to build up speed. As the firebender was getting ready to unleash a lightning strike at Luna that could kill her if it made contact, Ron extended and threw the spear at the officer with all his strength. The spear sailed true and caught the surprised office squarely in the chest and hurled him back off the roof and into the water with a splash. Luna now free of the repetitive assault glided to the nearest occupied tower to engage any soldiers there who would not surrender. By this point Ron assumed none would.

Quickly using the river water to extinguish the still burning hut, Ron froze a path over the water so he could run across it as it would save him time. Ron ran over it as fast as he could and towards the man he had thrown his hunting knife at in order to retrieved it for later. Keeping it in his right hand Ron began to run through the wooden paths of Jang Hui trying to find where he would be of the most help to the people who called this river home.

* * *

While Ron had been taking out the few soldier he had run into, Ginny had been running from house to house checking on the civilians. Any who were sick she healed as best she could in the limited time and reminded them all to stay in their houses unless they had to flee the city. She would be back to do full healing sessions once the city had been liberated of soldiers loyal to Hermione. Ginny also told them that she was part of the Liberation from Tyrants Movement and that they were here to help free them from the local military presence that had been oppressing them for 5 years, and that she was sorry for masquerading as their Painted Lady just in case they saw her actions as sacrilegious to their protector. The citizens however didn't seem to mind about Ginny's latter concern and many were very grateful for her actions.

As Ginny left a house and then used waterbending to extinguish a small fire that had taken hold on one of the buildings, likely from the earlier attack on her in the city's center, she felt the heat of an approaching fire ball and only barley manage to dive out of the way of it. Rolling from her dive, Ginny blindly threw one of her Sais in the direction that she thought that the fire ball had come from and was rewarded the sound of contact and a scream of pain. Getting up and tuning Ginny and groaned when she saw the lecherous corporal who had disturbed her when she and Luna had been scouting earlier. The vile rapist was pinned to a wooden wall across a waterway with Ginny's sai buried to the hilt in her left shoulder.

"I knew you weren't from the Public Health Bureau you fucking cunt." The other woman bellowed at Ginny as she ripped the sai out of her with a grunt and threw it into the river, ignoring the blood as it streamed down her now useless arm. "They don't care about those too foolish to move away when progress is needed. The factory is more important to the Fire Utopia than this pathetic village and the Empress has declared that industry comes first. If the results causes pollution as can be seen here than it is on the citizens to move out of the way of our progress, not the other way around. Their suffering is on their own heads, the deaths here are all their own fault. People in the Fire Utopia are on their own if they are foolish enough to remain and stand in the way of protecting our glorious nation. Our limited resources are reserved for those who actually need them."

"Actually need them!" Ginny exclaimed letting the anger she had been building up since getting here out on one of the worst pieces of shit she had ever encountered. "These people are dying as a direct result of Hermione the Cruel's orders to reopen that factory because she knows that without force, violence and oppression, she would be ousted as the illegitimate ruler of this nation in a heartbeat. I would say that qualifies as actually needing aid you bitch, and I will be the one to administer that much needed aid."

"They can move if they want." The corporal barked back. "We won't waste the funds on it but these river scum fuckers could move, it's a fucking river it ain't hard to move from it. Our enlightened laws state that it is on them to get out of the way of progress, not the other way around. Once the nation is properly defended and modernized, then the Empress will turn her enlightened mind to protecting the environment but not until then or a declaration from the other World Leaders recognizing her enlightened rule and submitting their own nations to our laws while handing over power to people loyal to Empress Hermione the Savior. If you or these pieces of shit won't listen however, well we can always use their manual labor. No it was never the Empress's fault, it was their own fault."

"Well we won't let them suffer any longer at the hands of tyrants like Hermione or those who enforce her laws." Ginny said as she summoned up a water whip and sent it at the startled woman. The corporal easily dodged it but was now much more wary of the threat that Ginny posed to her. "Soon your factory will be no more and this area will be cleared of Hermione's tyranny as well as the pollution and sickness it has caused."

"A waterbender?" The soldier asked as she recovered from her shock. "Ain't seen your type round here for a while. Oh well, your even finer than I thought seeing you in so little clothes. Yes I will enjoy making you my bitch and keeping you as my pleasure slave, I'm sure the higher ups won't mind so long as we catch some of your fellow terrorists.."

"Come get me then." Ginny said filled with revulsion at the woman's plan for her. "And I will show you just how skilled at waterbending I am."

"With pleasure cunt."

With that the corporal used fire jets to propel herself across the gap at Ginny, which was exactly what Ginny had wanted and planned for, soldiers could be very predictable at times. As the corporal built up speed Ginny pulled up a thick wall of water from the river and turned it into ice right in front of the other woman from. The predatory corporal didn't stand a chance. With a scream of rage and shock, she slammed head first into the thick ice. Ginny hear a loud snap and knew the woman had broken her neck from impacting face first into the ice, even if the dirty ice prevented her from seeing the body now splattered against the ice slab in front of Ginny. Ginny quickly melted it, the corporal's lifeless body lowering to the water to float face down in the river. Ginny didn't bat an eyelash as she turned and ran to the next house.

Once Ginny was done helping all she could, she hurried back to the central square to find Ron standing there over the body of a soldier who had evidently returned to the statue of the Painted Lady after Ginny had left the area. Her brother looked a little ruffled but otherwise unharmed, one of his hunting knives was in his hand and it was coated in blood that slowly dripped onto the wooden platform.

"Looks like you had a few issues getting here." She said to her brother to announce her presence as she walked over to him while pointing at the knife in his hand.

"Nothing I couldn't handle." Ron said, his voice coming from under his mask. "Ran into several of the fuckers but they went down easy. They're used to dealing with untrained and sickly fishermen, not three well honed fighting machines like us, though I am not as efficient at non lethal take downs as you or my fiance. What happened to the outfit? I'm not sure your fiancé would like you running around almost naked with scum that wouldn't hesitate to rape you if they caught you. Hell I don't like it but I am your brother."

"Couldn't be helped." Ginny said with a shrug as she reached Ron. "The fucking thing was in my way and I needed mobility once the fight stared. Our fearless leader would understand if he was here. Anyway, speak for yourself I still remember the time you came home from a raid in nothing but a burnt pair of boxers that you had had to wear as you walked through the city because you didn't have any spare clothes at the station."

"Yes, well let's focus on the here and now." Ron said getting serious.

As he spoke, 7 soldiers ran into the small square. One officer and 6 enlisted but only the officer appeared to be a bender based on the weapons the enlisted men brandished. Ginny agreed, it was time to focus on the task at hand and not on Ron's fashion fopauxes.

"How many of you fuckers are there?" Ginny asked rhetorically with a note of exasperation. "Seriously, don't you assholes get it. You work for an oppressive tyrant and you are facing two skilled benders who are trained to take down people like you. You fuckers will lose and likely be killed by us."

"We are all who are left on this shit raft that are still loyal to Empress Hermione the Savior." The officer said glaring at Ginny, his eyes glued to her breasts. "But don't worry babe, soon you will be outnumbered once the forces from the factory come to join us in taking you two and your pet airbender down, Now lay down your arms and surrender peacefully and I can promise that the little lady here won't be sent to the worst whore house in the cap…"

The officer didn't get to finish his sentence before Ginny had thrown her second and last sai at him. His words repulsed her and reinforced the lustful nature that these animals masquerading as soldiers all seemed to have. What was it with power, lust and the expectation of always satisfying one's urges? Ginny had seen it with the Death Eaters and the Purists who served under Voldemort, now she was seeing it with the bastards who served under Hermione. It made it even worse in Ginny's mind that a woman condoned their actions all because they kept her warped views enforced and her ass on a throne that she never deserved.

Ginny' sai sailed true as she was thinking about the relationship between power and sex. The sai embedded itself in the center of the officer's skull, the force of the throw enough to pierce bone and burst out the other side as the narrow blade was buried to the hilt. Before his body had hit the floor Ginny was already on the move towards the remaining soldiers, all of whom were just gawking at the half naked woman charging at them, their mouths open in shock. For her part, all Ginny could see was red.

"Ron throw me one of your hunting knives." She yelled back to her brother as the officer's lifeless body landed on the wooden deck of the town square with a thud.

Ron didn't hesitate as he dropped to one knee and ripped a leather sheathe that was attached to his left boot. He threw the knife, still in the sheath, high in the air and ahead of Ginny as he could, guessing the route that she was running.

Ginny tracked the blade with her eyes and jumped as high as she could, kicking a soldier who recovered and had stepped in front of her in the jaw. She used his body for a second jump into the air and spun to grab the handle of the knife at the apex of her leap in a move that had Ron's jaw on the ground. Pulling the blade free of its sheath while completing her full spin, Ginny didn't pay attention to where the sheath flew as she began her decent to the ground. She had one goal in mind, take out the bastards so they couldn't harm another person again in the name of Hermione and her evil, twisted, laws.

Ginny rolled upon landing in the center of the 6 remaining soldiers and as she rose she thrust up with the blade and into the groin of nearest soldier as she got to her feet. Ignoring his high pitched scream of pain she yanked the serrated knife out and spun around him. She lightly tossed the blade to her off hand and caught it in a reverse grip and plunged it into the side of the man's neck nearest her, all while still completing a 360 degree spin. Again she yanked it out, causing more damage on the way out than in, as she prepared to face her next opponent.

Spinning the gore slick blade in her palm so that she was now holding it normally and tossing it back to her dominant hand Ginny attacked again. She ducked a feebly sword swipe from one of the soldiers who had recovered from his shock and stabbed the attacker in the gut before violently ripping the blade out, the barbs on the back once more doing more damage on the way out than on the way in.

Rising from her crouch, Ginny leapt at the next man she could see through the red haze that had fallen in front of her eyes and plunged the knife into his chest, ignoring a searing pain that ran along her ribs on her left side as she stabbed him. Falling with the man she rolled forward, removing the knife in the process and jumped up again to preserve her momentum.

Turning on her heal she sidestepped another sword thrust aimed at her gut before she stepped forward, into the man's reach, and stabbed the attacking soldier in the chest. As Ginny did this, she felt a sudden pain in her right thigh and spun catching the 5th soldier in the jaw with the base of the blade, his jaw fracturing from the impact. As the soldier reeled back in pain from the blow, Ginny ignored her own pain as she stepped forward and slashed the soldier's throat from ear to ear, almost decapitating him and splattering herself in his blood in the process.

Again she spun away from the attack to see that the first man she had kicked had recovered and was running at her sword drawn. Casually, and with an expert arm, she threw the knife as him. He was too close to dodge the projectile and the blade opened a large gash across the side of his throat. Ginny easily sidestepped him, the platform now slick and red with their blood, as the last dying man staggered past here and continued into the river.

With the last soldier defeated, the red haze and adrenaline almost instantly left Ginny. She looked over towards her stunned brother who was still on one knee, the bloody hunting knife she had just used lying a few feet to his side thankfully having not hit him as Ron had been to amazed at her display of martial prowess to move. Ginny felt groggy from the adrenaline leaving her bloodstream and as she took a step forward she felt her right leg go from under her and she collapsed unconscious to the wooden platform amongst the dead bodies of her enemies.

* * *

Ron just stared open mouthed under the mask at his sister's display of raw skill in taking down 7 soldiers in less than 30 seconds, 6 of them with only a hunting knife. All 7 were either dead or wounded beyond saving, and Ginny seemed to have recovered from whatever had put her in a blind rage. Ron didn't blame her for her actions, how could he .The officer was just another in a long line who had expressed a desire to rape and/or see Ginny get raped because he was in a position of power and she was threatening his fragile hold on power.

It was a completely understandable reaction, after the Death Eaters, the Purists, and now those who enforced Hermione's laws all threatening to rape his sister, that Ginny would eventually snap and attack in a display that not even Harry could match outside of the Avatar State. Now Ginny was soaked in blood from the attack, so much so that Ron didn't realize she was injured until she suddenly collapsed as to the wooden platform as she tried to step forward.

The sight of his sister, falling, clearly badly wounded, to what passed as the ground on the floating city, snapped Ron out of his stupor and into action. Ron leapt up and summoned clean water from the water skin he always carried, he wasn't going to use the polluted river water for what he needed to do. Running to his sister, he effortlessly picked her up and carried her clear of the bodies she had left in the square, getting both her blood and that of the soldiers she had killed on him in the process, and used the water to wash as much of the blood off her as he could.

That act showed Ron that Ginny had a deep cut in her right thigh, though not deep enough to cut the femoral artery, and a long gash along the left side of her ribs that appeared to be deep enough to scar but nothing more. Summoning the last of the water from the water skin, Ron covered both hands with it and infused it with healing energy. He wasn't a natural healer like Ginny but he could still do a rudimentary job, though it took a lot of effort just to do that much. Fortunately, Ginny's wounds were perfect for his talents as all that was required was to to heal the skin and in the case of her thigh wound, muscle, damage. Had it been burns or broken bones then Ron would have been unable to do shit but lacerations he could mend, just about.

That fact, combined with his desperation, allowed him to infuse the water with healing energy. As soon as the water was glowing with a blue, luminescent light, he placed them on Ginny's wounds. Slowly the bleeding stopped and the wounds healed thanks to powerful sub-bending he was using. Within a minute all that was left were two pink scars that Ron knew his sister could deal with if she wanted to remove them, well at least the one on her ribs as the thigh wound had been much deeper. Ginny hadn't regained consciousness passed during Ron's healing and Ron had a feeling that Ginny would be out for a while from a mixture of exhaustion from the fight, the end of her adrenaline rush during said fight and the blood loss. When she woke she should be fine, minus a killer headache and other pains.

"What the fuck did I miss." Ron shot up as the sudden words brought him back to the situation at hand.

As he got ready for a fight, the bloody water still encasing his hands freezing into ice spikes as he took a ready stance and turned to face the newcomer. However it was just Luna, his fiance had silently landed behind him and was staring at the scene in front of her in confusion.

As soon as she saw her best friend lying unconscious in barely any clothes and covered in a of of blood Luna sprinted to Ron's side to inspect Ginny. Ron could tell but the look in her eyes that she feared the worst. Ron remembered what Luna had told him a few years ago what she had seen during the Battle of the Elemental Academy and how it still haunted her nightmares to this day, worse than the rest of their nightmares combined. While the sight hadn't diminished Luna's sex drive, it still made the act itself her worst fear and of all of them, she hated rapists and those who abused power for sex the most.

"Don't worry she's fine, they didn't touch her that way." Ron said as he pulled his fiancé close to him to reassure her. "She ripped the dress off herself at the start of the fight because it was in her way and she needed the mobility to help free Jang Hui from those who oppressed it. She just went ballistic on the remaining soldiers with one of my hunting knives, and her sai at the start, after the officer with said sai in his skull threatened her with sexual slavery."

Ron proceeded to tell Luna the full tale of what had just happened in front of his eyes, even if it was still hard to believe what he had just seen. When he was done Luna looked at him with a shocked look as if unable to comprehend that Ginny had just done what Ron had explained.

"She did that?" Luna asked after a moment.

"Yup." Ron said with a nod. "She finally snapped after all the threats she and you have had when dealing with the scum who suckle at the tit of power."

"Ha-ha tits." Luna said with a slight laugh before extricating herself from Ron's arms. "Anyway I came here to tell you two that 10 jet skis are en route from the factory with about 20 soldiers in total if all are carrying two passengers. I just saw it after I handled the last watch tower, the one with the radio in it unfortunately."

"And the factory?" Ron asked when he suddenly heard a series of loud explosions in the distance that answered his question. "Never mind, the other two have clearly just dealt with that problem. Ok stay here and protect Ginny, I'll go deal with the fuckers who are en route to attack us."

"What …" Luna began before Ron kissed her to shut her up and ran towards the side of Jang Hui that faced the factory, unable to hear what she shout after him.

As soon as Ron reached the water he ran onto it and began to run across the ice he formed on the surface of the disgusting, sludgy, water. Anger fueled him at what these soldiers had done to these people through both the pollution and their oppression, at how he had almost lost his sister, at the cunt who ruled the nation with an iron fist as a tyrant unparalleled in human history and most of all angry that people exploited the situation for their own personal pleasure.

Once Ron was a safe distance from Jang Hui and knew that his actions wouldn't affect the floating city, he raised his arms. What he was doing strained his abilities to their limits, which was a lot given Ron's current skill level, as he rose on a gradually building tidal wave of filthy river water. Had it been the ocean Ron could have made the wave bigger, but he was limited because of the river though that still didn't stop him from creating a wave taller than the cliffs where the factor was located.

Ron was heading straight for that very factor, and the jet skis that were approaching Jang Hui were all that stood in his way so they would be taken out in the process. As the wave grew and sped up, Ron hoped Harry and Neville had gotten out in time because he was about to obliterate what was left of the factory when he hammered the wave into it. Then again, Harry was the Avatar so he could easily protect himself and Neville from Ron's impending act of utter destruction. Ron grinned, it was time to remove this symbol of oppression from the face of the earth and show Hermione the true extend of the power those who opposed her possessed. It was time to make a fucking statement.

 **I couldn't resist having Ginny go full Rambo in this chapter, there will be other times a character does this in later books but this one was my favorite to write. Next week will wrap up the Jang Hui liberation story arc before moving onto the next act of rebellion that Team Avatar decides to commit so stay tuned for that. Otherwise there is nothing to add here so a** **s always keep letting me know what you think of this story in the reviews and any questions asked in reviews or PMs to me will be answered at the start of next week's chapter when it is released on time as usual. Until next week.**

 **Stringdog**


	13. Chapter 13

**Here is the 13th chapter of Book 2 on time as always. There is nothing new to add here so sit back and enjoy the latest installment in Avatar: The Tale of Harry. Book 2: Equality.**

 **Disclaimer: As always I won nothing related to either of these two great works of fiction.**

 **Chapter 13**

Harry looked at the approaching tidal wave of polluted water. He had no idea what exactly was Ron's plan but he knew that he must be really pissed to show the limits of his bending and was banking on Harry and Neville noticing and protecting themselves from it. It was a reckless move that was out of character for Ron but Harry had no time to chastise his best friend.

Already the first few jet skis were getting caught in the wave and being hurled aside, into the cliffs or swept under the wave, almost certainly killing many of the soldiers. At least one was pulled up near the top, causing the two on the Jet Ski to tumble off and fall to the river. Harry could just make out a black clad figure at the top of the wave. He had to act now.

"Neville do you trust me?" Harry yelled back at Neville.

"You know I do." Neville shouted into Harry's ear but Harry could hear a note of trepidation in his voice. "What do you have in mind?"

"No time to explain." Harry said before twisting in his seat, putting an arm around Neville's shoulders and pulling both of them off the Jet Ski.

As soon as they hit the disgusting water, Harry used his free arm to bend the water around them to form an air bubble. Holding Neville tightly and feeling Neville grip him just as hard he did his best to control the water around them as they were buffeted by the wave as it passed over them. It was hard work and took all of Harry's waterbending skills to accomplish it but somehow he managed to hold himself and Neville steady as the wave passed.

As soon as the water calmed down Harry broke the bubble and he and Neville swam to the surface, trying their hardest not so swallow any of the foul liquid. Treading water Harry turned in time to see Ron casually surfing down the back of the wave on a dirty ice board as the wave he had been controlling slammed into the factory. When the water had settled back to the river, causing Harry and Neville to bob a bit on the surface of it, the factory was a ruined mess. There was no chance of Hermione reopening it.

Harry was floating on the surface trying not to swallow the disgusting sludgy water as Ron calmly glided over to them. He looked down at the pair from the board with a perplexing look in his eyes.

"Well? Are you going to help us or just stare." Harry said as the cold water began to make it's presence known. "Cos my testicles are currently receding into my body."

"I was just wondering why the pair of you were floating in the mess." Ron said. Though he had a mask on Harry could tell that he was smiling. "Not the first place on my list to cool of in."

"Really?" Neville said sarcastically. "I dunno, I guess we just felt like a swim in contaminated water, right Harry?"

"Yeah lovely night for it." Harry replied using humor to lighten the mood. "A nice swim if polluted water right after destroying an ore factory making metal for a dictator's war machine, just what the healer ordered. Of course it could have something to do with a massive fucking tidal wave causing us to abandon our nice jet ski."

"Well at least you weren't in the factory." Ron said as he froze an area of water near them so they could clamber out and onto the ice which did nothing for the cold Harry and Neville currently felt. "I figured you wouldn't be in there when I heard the explosions."

"Well what the fuck are you waiting for? Let's go see if any of those soldiers survived." Harry said as he stood on the ice. Neville preferred to just lie there, he wasn't as good on ice as Ron or Harry and he was clearly exhausted from the fight. "The general was on one of the jet skis."

"Let's get back to Jang Hui then you and I can scour the banks for any survivors." Ron said as he spun his arms and propelled their rudimentary boat to the floating city. "There's something you need to see there."

Harry quirked an eyebrow at Ron but Ron didn't say anymore. The sight that Ron had mentioned greeted Harry almost as soon as they had all disembarked the ice. Harry looked stunned at the bloody mess of 6 bodies lying near the town center, the wooden deck stained red. All had been killed recently and not moved since then so Harry could see how the fight had played out.

"Your handiwork?" He asked his best friend with a raised eyebrow. It was certainly something that Ron could easily perform if he had too.

"Note the sai in the officer's skull." Ron said pointing to the only soldier with an officer's insignia on him.

Harry looked where Ron pointed and saw the stunned expression of an officer lying on his back one of Ginny's Sais sticking out of the center of his forehead. Judging by the way his head was unnaturally straight for someone who was dead, Harry assumed that the sai had gone straight through and out the back of his head and was likely now embedded in the rotting wood.

"Not a bad throw." Harry commented idly as he bent and withdrew his fiancé's preferred weapon and wiped it clean of blood and brain matter on the officer's shirt, closing the man's eyes at the same time. "He must have really pissed her off. Let me guess. He threatened to rape her, right?"

"Sell her into sexual slavery, which is worse in my opinion." Ron replied as they looked over the scene, Neville silently coming over and joining them. "She did all this with my backup hunting knife. There's a 7th body floating in the river somewhere downstream. She went full berserker on them, never seen anything like it and I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes. I wouldn't piss her off if I was you Harry."

"Never planned on it." Harry said with a smile as he surveyed the carnage Ginny had inflicted with just a hunting knife before noticing something missing. "Wait where is she?"

Harry was a little worried. Ron just led him over to the shadow of the Painted Lady statue. There, Luna and a female local were looking over Ginny. Harry got even more worried when he noticed she was barley wearing anything, covered in blood, and unconscious.

"It's ok I had the same reaction." An unmasked Luna said as Harry approached and knelt by his fiancé, his face full of concern as he removed his balaclava. "But don't worry, she's fine. She removed the dress herself to fight the soldier here, it wasn't particularly practical for the situation. Most of the blood is from those bastards she killed. She was wounded in the altercation though, but my fiance healed her as best he could."

"She's a tough one." The woman said and for the first time Harry notice two pink scars on Ginny's skin, a thin one on her rib cage and a more pronounced one on her right thigh. "She healed me, my husband and our infant son shortly before going after those animals who call themselves soldiers in the Empress's army. They are just the main arm by which she maintains her version of equality by force within the nation. In reality, though, they are tools of her tyranny only meant to keep us all in line and either slaving away for her and her cronies who make up the elite class here, or otherwise brutalizing us for their own sick pleasures. Our savior here will be out for an hour or so more as she lost a fair amount of blood but otherwise she's fine."

Harry looked at the woman and noticed that she had red facial tattoos and similar ones on her shoulders that matched those on the Painted Lady statue. By now the other villagers who had been healed were making their way to the town square. They led 4 bound soldiers, two had been gagged as well, and all had hate and defiance in their eyes. A 5th, unconscious soldier was being carried on a makeshift stretched into the square. The wounded man's arms and lower jaw had been splinted by some of the locals who clearly had some first aid skills.

"I am the priestess of the Painted Lady." The woman said when she noticed Harry staring at her tattoos. "Ever since the end of the 100 year war we have honored her as such. She may not have been to one to free us then but she is still our guardian and we worship her spirit and her protection. Alas when the Jang Hui River is polluted, as it is now, she cannot aid us as she is a spirit of pure good. The pollution weakens her and between it and the evil emotions of the soldiers stationed here, we fear that she might be corrupted by their negative emotions. Thank you for your aid and for your friend's, your fiance if I hear correctly, appearance. We know the Painted Lady sent you here."

"Well we came here to check the situation as the area was known to have been used in the past and might have something we can attack to weaken Hermione's iron grip here." Harry said truthfully. "We are freedom fighters sent on an advanced mission to destabilize Hermione so that she may be brought to justice by the world for all her crimes. Jang Hui is a famous city in the Fire Nation and liberating it from her oppression would send a message of our threat to her rule. We didn't realize she had reopened the factory and polluted the river once again but it worked best for us as we could destroy one of her most important installations and free the citizens as well. I was visited by the Painted Lady a few hours ago and she asked for my aid to clean her river and free her people from the tyranny of Hermione. I have done so."

"Well we thank you." Xu said as he approached Harry. "And don't worry, we will say you did all this without our consent or knowledge when Hermione sends troops here to investigate what has happened. We will help spread your message as best we can though, whoever you are."

"Er, what about the soldiers you have just brought here?" Neville asked pointing at the bound men.

"Oh them, no we bound them for their own protection from you." Xu said with a smile that showed his missing teeth and that he was practicing his lies for when they were questioned. "We treated any wounds and made sure they were unarmed so that if you killed them, then it would be execution. Had to gag the mouthy ones as they might provoke you into attacking them and proving their points that you are monsters who are going to kill them. We did this to protect them."

Harry wasn't sure if someone like Hermione would buy that but he also had a feeling that she wouldn't accept the soldiers failure to protect her factory and likely have them arrested, and publicly executed, for treason against her. If they had any sense, though few soldiers he had met here seemed to have it, they would desert the army and go into hiding, at least then they may last long enough to see Hermione taken down.

"You may call us the LFTM." Ron said as he approached the fishmonger, he had been looking over the treatment of the soldiers and making sure that they were being cared for property as prisoners of war. "And we will not stop until Hermione is in chains and justice is served against her."

"Good, that tyrant deserves no less." The priestess said getting up. "She has made this nation a living hell and all in her pursuit of enforcing her vision of equality. She has shut down dissent, free speech and free discussion and basically enslaved us to her will. It's either her way or the highway and by highway I mean a slave labor camp for the rest of your short life if you're lucky, an unmarked grave if you're not."

"Well we need to find the survivors of that tidal wave." Harry said. Now that he was sure that Ginny was okay, they could focus on trying to find any soldiers to interrogate. "I believe that the general who oversees this area was leading the reserve forces sent here that was destroyed by my fellow freedom fighter's waterbending. I want to see if he is still alive, I have a few questions for him."

"We are already on it." Dock said as he had switched hats. "Those of us who can are already heading out onto the river to see what we can find. There may be something salvageable from the factory that we could use here."

With that Harry watched as Dock and several fishermen headed to find their boats and search the river. Harry walked over to the 4 captured men and looking at their ranks removed the gag on the most senior man, a sergeant. He may not have the general, but he could ask these assholes a few questions.

"Fuck you." The man spat at Harry as soon as the gag was removed. "You murderous and traitorous piece of shit. You will be executed for what you have done."

"Pretty much what I was expecting." Harry murmured, wiping some spittle from his cheek, before raising his voice. "Is there any point in reasoning with you?"

"No." the sergeant said, his honesty taking Harry aback. "You are the ones in the wrong so why would I reason with idiots. We are only following our benevolent Empress's orders to make sure this shithole stays in line with her enlightened views and then you fuckers come here and murder us, destroy a crucial factory and claim to be freeing these people when they were freed 5 years ago when Empress Hermione the Savior executed the last Firelord and ushered in an unparalleled era of peace and prosperity. You are the real oppressors, you wish to return the Fire Utopia to the hell hole it had been under the tyranny of Iroh. You …"

Harry cut the man off by reapplying his gag, though the soldier was still shouting obscenities into it. He really didn't have time to hear this shit again, he would get enough of it from the general if the man was alive. These assholes were all the same, it was time to put some fear into them. At least that might get some reaction.

"You know that the cunt who rules this nation will see your failure as treason right?" Harry said. He noticed a flicker of realization in the man's eyes and smiled, clearly the loyal soldier did know what his precious Empress thought of failure. "You do, good. I would suggest that when we release y'all. Don't look so shocked, we will release you, we aren't cruel, we aren't monsters, we aren't just going to murder someone who has been defeated and is our prisoner. Hermione would, Voldemort would, but I and my friends will not. Sure we will kill in battle, y'all attack with lethal intent and we will defend ourselves likewise but we are not monsters."

"Why?" The question came from one of the other captured solders who had not been gagged.

"Because we are only here to free the oppressed from Hermione's tyranny and bring that cunt to justice for her many crimes." Harry answered though he kept looking at the sergeant as he spoke. "That is why we always offer you the chance to surrender peacefully. As I said, we only kill in self defense."

Harry noticed the man's eyes flicker to the 6 bodies that had been grouped together at the other side of the square.

"Ok that incident maybe not as much but they were threatening to sell my fiancé into sexual slavery so I think she acted in self defense." Harry said with a shrug. "Anyway we will free you and let you go wherever you wish. You will not be tortured, raped, held captive, ransomed, or executed. You are merely a soldier following orders, and believing the bullshit, in a war between me and Hermione. Now of course we will take all y'alls information and pass it on the Firelord Druzok once he is reinstated as the rightful leader of the Fire Nation so that the Fire Nation Investigative Service can see if y'all are guilty of any crimes while serving in Hermione the Cruel's army. What happens after that is up to Firelord Druzok but expect it to be a long stretch at the Boiling Rock, unless you are cooperative. I do hold a lot of sway with the exiled Firelord."

When Harry was done he turned and walked away from the bound soldier and back to his friends, he would let them all simmer on his words for a while. Ginny was still out of it and the priestess, who also turned out to be one of the few healers in Jang Hui, though not a waterbending healer, had said that she would be out for about an hour or so more as she did lose a good amount of blood. His fiance was going to be woozy for a few days but she should be back to fighting form by the end of the week.

While waiting for news from the rescue boats that Dock had sent out Harry and Neville told Ron and Luna of their own assault on the factory. When they were done Ron recounted his own interactions in the city while Luna explained that she had dealt with the guard towers and had found a working radio in the last one that they could use.

After that, they turned their attention to the few surviving soldiers. Of the 5 captured 4 had been in the various watchtowers and all had been subdued by Luna. Each had had 2 soldiers though one from each, excluding the tower with the radio in it, had left to aid their fellow soldiers in trying to repel Ron and Ginny with the exception of the tower Ron had destroyed to start the attack. One of the two guards there had died from the fall while the other had fallen into the river and was presumed dead. The still unconscious soldier had been subdued by Ron during Ron's run to the city center.

Over the course of their discussions the townsfolk gathered the dead soldiers, some from the wooden platforms, others from the river, and laid them out respectfully in a line where 6 of the 7 Ginny had killed in her berserk rage had fallen. In all 15 of the 20 soldiers stationed in Jang Hui or the small docks on the mainland had been killed, the dock soldiers having come over as soon as the alarm gong had been rung. Harry and Neville knew that 21 more had fallen trying to kill them in the factory which meant that 36 had perished so far. None of the civilians had died ,though a few had suffered minor injuries that Ginny would be able to heal once she was on her feet again.

After about 2 hours Dock and the other fisherman returned. They had found 12 of the soldiers dead from various injuries sustained from the tidal wave or from drowning. 5 had been unaccounted for and presumed dead, and the remaining 3 had been found alive and bound for their own safety. Two of the healthiest looking fishermen threw one of the wet soldier at Harry's feet as soon as they had arrived with him. Harry looked down to see a man with a black forked beard, streaked with gray, and general's insignia on his ruined tunic. He had a nasty gash on his forehead that was likely infected by the polluted water but otherwise he appeared to be fine. Crouching Harry drew one of his short swords and using the flat of his blade lifted the general's chin so that he could look into his eyes.

"Fuck you." The general spat at Harry as soon as their eyes met.

"Yes I know, fuck me." Harry replied with a cold smile. "I get that a lot from assholes like you. I assume you know who we are."

"You are fucking traitors and terrorists who want to bring down the greatest ruler the world has ever seen." The general said. Harry could hear the almost religious zeal in the man's voice, there was no doubt that this man was a true believer.

"You were one of those generals who betrayed Iroh and sided with Hermione and the Enlightened before their coup, probably helped them as well given your rank and fanaticism." Harry said remembering what Ron had told him about what he and Neville had learned about the general. "If anyone here is the traitor to the Fire Nation, then it is you."

"I am no traitor, I am a true patriot to my nation." The general snapped back. "I love my nation but I knew it was going to shit. I worked my ass off to get into the Royal Officer Academy, which isn't easy back when we had commoners and nobility and you were considered a filthy commoner. I faced the prejudice and hatred of the so called noble born just because of my humble roots so when the Enlightened approached me, a commoner and a nonbender to boot, and offered me a chance to change the system for the better, and ensure I was one of their future leaders, I readily agreed. They were right and I knew this back when I was a cadet. It was the nobility and their prejudice, the bigoted, racist purebloods and that fascist tyrant Iroh who had cast us as commoners, as second class citizens, worse than scum all because we didn't have wealth or bending. The Enlightened opened my eyes to their views on equality, to how a true Utopia could be built in the Fire Nation. Only through a strong leader who was enlightened could equality be achieved in the world, we are just the first successful nation at proving that. All it took was an oath of allegiance to them and to follow their views and orders to the letter, anything I did to ensure the laws were enforced and what I did on my own time was permitted. Only their views are needed in the world today. Empress Hermione the Savior knows this, she has saved us and established true equality and prosperity here in the Fire Utopia."

"And what of her oppression." Harry said the anger clear in his voice. Sure this man had been radicalized because of a damaged system and had had a raw deal, but shit like that could be fixed in other ways, not by inverting it and creating a tyrannical regime like the one Hermione had done. "Her silencing of her critics, stifling of opposition, her persecution of any who have views even slightly different to her own. What about her fucking slave labor camps and mass public executions?"

"They are all criminals serving out their just sentences, be it hard labor or death." The general shot back the zeal clear in his eyes. "They all wished to undermine, undo and overthrow the Empress and her righteous views. They had to be silenced so that the people knew who the true leader was and that only her views are needed in the world. Over time they will learn that opposing her is a crime punishable by the labor camps and the bare minimum, death if the offense is bad enough. Overtime these idiots will learn that only the Empress's enlightened views are needed for a perfect society. There is no need for any other views that will pollute and corrupt their minds and lead to inequality and oppression."

"You really don't see how everything you just said contradicts itself." Harry said shaking his head at the general's statement. "I didn't expect you would though. I know your type, your just like the bitch who claims to be enlightened. So arrogant, narcissistic and elitist that you can't accept being wrong and oppress and bully any who oppose or contradict you. You are so insecure in your own positions that the only way you know to protect them is to silence any opposition to them. You are as pathetic as Hermione."

"Do not insult our glorious Empress." The man shouted spitting at Harry but missing as Harry had been expecting that. "Empress Hermione the Savior is none of those things. She is the humblest among us, the most modest, the wisest person in the world. She knows the most out of anyone who has ever lived and has been touched by the spirits not only in granting her bending but enlightening her mind as well. Without here we would still be shackled by the oppression of the Firelords, we would still be living under the boots of tyranny."

"The last 3 Firelords have been some of the best in Fire Nation history." Harry said trying his very best to hold back his anger. He had know Hermione was like this but still it was hard to imagine others thought of her in the same way. "They have restored the Fire Nation to a respectable nation and furthered equality and justice that the people here had not know since before Sozin. Yet in 5 years Hermione has turned it into the most repressed nation in the history, not even Ozai was this bad. You were the one who betrayed it by betraying Iroh."

"I never betrayed my nation." The general spat. "My nation betrayed me with all the injustices, inequalities and microaggressions towards those of us who are marginalized by the former pureblood elite. I willingly joined the Enlightened and their long term cause before I was even sworn in as a second lieutenant. When I got the word that during Voldemort's assault on the Elemental Academy that we were to launch our revolution I couldn't wait, the timing was perfect. I gladly killed the pureblood, elitist, racist, bigoted, noble general I served and took his rank, his money and his fine young daughter as my own. Yes that young thing was barely 13 when I made her a woman. Shame she grew up though, I had to dispose of her like the trash she was when she turned 16 but I had had my fill of her and her uses. Now, though, I have all the wealth and young girls I could want thanks to the Empress, things I could never have dreamed of under the tyrant Iroh. Naturally I blamed the Purists for my general's murder and his daughter's rape and abduction and we used that, as well as the actions of the other officers loyal to the Enlightened, to ensure that the new Empress was protected from retribution by the unenlightened and oppressive other nations and from the Avatar."

"And what of Avatar Harry?" Harry asked genuinely wondering the man's opinion of him and repressing the urge to kill the monster right there and then for his admitted pedophilia. "I know that his is a just and honest man who restored the United Republic and the Northern Water Tribe to balance with his defeat of Voldemort, the Death Eaters and the Purists. For 25 years the Purity Movement and its twisted philosophy caused imbalance in the world but Avatar Harry ended that when he stripped Voldemort of his waterbending and restored balance to most of the world, it was the day Hermione murdered Iroh and illegally took power here."

"True the Avatar did do that one act of goodness." The general conceded with a sneer. "But he did far more harm than good from the moment he was confirmed to be the Avatar. He rejected the kind and fair offer of the Empress's guidance, he refused to adhere to her tenants and views like the laws they now finally are, he cheated and humiliated her and then vilified her, the Enlightened and the Chosen as terrorists and criminals when they are the future. No. Until the Avatar sees this the world will remain imbalanced. Only here in the Fire Utopia are we actually balanced. Only here have we restored true equality to all and thus restored balance."

"Let me tell you something fucker." Harry said his green eyes boring into the general's cold brown ones. He had had enough of this asshole and his warped views, it was time to let him know what was going to happen. "The Avatar will come here, he will defeat Hermione and all those who support her, and he will bring her and all her fellow criminals to the the justice they so rightly deserve . It will happen sooner than you think. You can count yourself among those who will spend the rest of their lives locked in a cage, if you are one of the lucky ones not to be executed for your treason and crimes committed under Hermione's tyranny. Of course cooperation is a must in avoiding a death sentence. Either way, you will be in prison when all of this evil comes crumbling down."

"I will never betray our glorious, our benevolent and our legitimate Empress." The general said with a crooked smile.

"Oh I'm sure she already thinks you are a traitor for your failure to protect the factory." Harry replied. "I doubt she accepts failure well. She tried to kill the Avatar after he beat her fair and square in a fight, what would she do to you? My money is on a public execution but that's just me."

"I have served the Empress well and accept my fate, you will never oppress me, hold me, torture me or force me to betray my Empress." The man said as a 1,000 yard stare came into his eyes.

"Only Hermione tortures people." Harry countered. "We will not torture you."

"The Empress does not torture." The general retorted. "She interrogates criminals by any means necessary. Now I will make sure I never betray her."

Before Harry could react the general tilted his head back and bellowed to the skies. "I have failed you my benevolent and glorious Empress Hermione the Savior and failed the Fire Utopia you so nobly fought to create and maintain. For my failure and treason I condemn myself to death and beg for your everlasting forgiveness in this life and the next. I will never betray you to those who wish to return the Fire Utopia to the oppression it had previously known. For Empress Hermione the Savior and her glorious Fire Utopia."

As soon as he was done, the general thrust his body forward and into Harry's sword that was still at his throat. Harry's platinum blade sank deep into his exposed neck. Reacting on instinct Harry leapt back withdrawing his blade in the process, causing a spout of blood to erupt from the general's throat. The general fell forward a smile on his face as he bleed out on the already bloodstained deck. Harry and his friends, as well as the surviving soldiers and citizens, just stared dumbfounded at the general's sudden suicide. He was even more fanatical than Harry had expected.

"Well I guess we should be more careful in future." Ron said as he approached the body to make sure the general was dead. "Shame your fiance wasn't able to help, she may have been able to save his worthless ass. Though given what this disgusting and perverted fucker just said, I for one am glad he's gone. One less monster with power and the desire to abuse that power."

"Agreed." Harry said before turning to the crowd of citizens. "You are free now thanks to the Liberation From Tyrants Movement. I think it's time we cleaned up this river again and allow the Painted Lady to return to this blessed town."

"I'll get my brother Bushi, he loved cleaning rivers." Xu said and then pulled of his hat to reveal another hat underneath that expanded into a circular wide brimmed one. "Hey folks I'm Bush. Let's clean this river!"

Harry just chose to ignore the clearly insane and yet reliable and happy man and returned to his friends. They had a lot of work that needed to get done and not much time to do so before Hermione sent reinforcements to crush the village, kill any who stand in her way, and blame them for all that he and his friends had done.

That was the first thing they needed to do, they needed to make sure that all the blame fell upon the LFTM and not Jang Hui or else Hermione would probably just arrest and enslave the entire population here, kill a few of the leaders, and accuse them all of treason. The nation had to be informed somehow that any actions against Jang Hui would clearly be a sign of oppression and tyranny. So long as people know what had happened here, any actions Hermione would take against Jang Hui would make her look even more like a tyrant than she already was.

Team Avatar spent the next week living in Jang Hui as they sorted everything out. They aided in cleaning the river, healing the sick and providing food to help restore and heal the town. All 49 of the dead soldiers were cremated by Harry and their ashes spread to the winds.

After the death of the general, the surviving soldiers were far more cooperative with them. They provided them with all the information they knew of this region of the Fire Nation but as they were all enlisted men they didn't have much to offer, despite being fanatical followers. They all claimed that they would leave the army when they were freed and after checking on land Harry knew they were telling the truth, they clearly knew the punishment for failure and even though they believed in Hermione's laws, they cared for their lives more. Even if they had lied to him, Harry would free them regardless. It would show that the LFTM did not kill, or even torture or abuse, those who surrendered or were captured. They treated their prisoners with dignity as once Ginny was recovered she healed the soldier Ron had wounded as best she could with her limited energy and the foul water, not a good source for healing.

The 5 missing soldiers were never found and presumed dead. They did take the spare clothes they found from the dead soldier's barracks next to the factory when they went up to the ruined building to see what they could find out from it. It had been Ron's idea to take the uniforms just in case they were stopped. Now they could pose as either enlisted soldiers or officers and hopefully bluff their way through without resorting to violence.

One thing they did while searching the remains of the factory, Ron's waterbending having removed the evidence of Harry's lavabending thus ensuring that the Avatar's presence would remain unnoticed, was use the radio that had been in the general's quarters in the factory to broadcast their message as it was more powerful than the one in Jang Hui. The quarters had fortunately been far enough back from the cliff's edge to not suffer too much damage.

With the radio, they claimed full responsibility for the destruction of the factory and the liberation of Jang Hui and made it clear that any actions taken against the inhabitants there would be retribution by Hermione against innocent citizens who had nothing to do with the actions of outside individuals. Harry made sure to take responsibility for the Dragon Sanctuary attack as well, making sure to mention things only the attackers knew, to prove that the same group had attacked both places. Hopefully their defiance and actions would rile up the nation and help their rebellion as best they can without being killed by Hermione and her goons.

They found several pieces of useful intelligence in the general's quarters, as well as evidence of at least 29 young girls he had raped and murdered over the last 5 years, all of which minus the names of the poor victims, they broadcast so that the people knew what kind of men ran the military for Hermione. These were the people who Hermione let get away with evil so long as they followed her orders to the letter. From the intel they had gathered in the general's luxurious quarters, they learned that the main base of operations for the entire eastern region was in Fire Fountain City so they made it their next port of call.

On the last day of their stay in Jang Hui, they got another letter from Pyrites informing them that he had made contact with a second revolution leader, this time in the north and that the man had been impressed by their action in Jang Hui. Naturally, this was all in code. Pyrites had also told them what the rest of the nation knew and thought of the LFTM. They're resistance had sparked hope in the citizens of a chance that Hermione would be toppled and stressed that they had to succeed or else Hermione would be even more ruthless.

In addition, from what the spymaster had gathered over the last week, Hermione wasn't going to attack Jang Hui, at least not for a year, as the people knew that the civilians had been innocent and Hermione had to show restraint to avoid an all out civil war. A strangely wise idea for Hermione as it prevented even more bloodshed from occurring. Pyrites finished his weekly report by informing them that at least one revolutionary leader was on their side, the one in the south, and that he was heading to Ember Island to meet another leader, the one he had mentioned was in the north. Harry replied in code with their own plans to head to Fire Fountain City, the place Pyrites had begun his part of the mission, and that all of their friends would meet for the bachelor party of the century soon.

At the end of the week they bade the citizens of Jang Hui goodbye and left the liberated and cleaned area. Harry hoped Hermione would not attack them but he had a feeling that she may use some clandestine group to get her vengeance slowly upon Jang Hui so they needed to take her down as soon as was why they had to keep moving and keep disrupting Hermione until the time was right to strike against her.

For the next week they traveled the islands stopping at various places to gather intelligence and secretly spread the word of the LFTM as best they could and avoiding violence at all costs, though some of the latter inevitably happened. There was more life now than what Harry had seen when he had first reached the Fire Nation and Harry knew that it was because of their successes at the Dragon Sanctuary and Jang Hui.

The highlight of the week had been the visit to Shu Jing. There they learned that the local leadership loyal to Hermione had secretly turned on her and sided with a potential rebellion should it occur. Harry had a feeling that had more to do with the areas association with the Piandao family and their resistance to tyranny than his own actions but it was still good to know that they had the region's support.

Now after 3 weeks in the Fire Nation, Harry and his friends were camping out on another cliff, one that overlooked their next destination, Fire Fountain City. Tomorrow they would go into the city and do some recon before coming up with a plan of action for the 3rd act of rebellion by the LFTM. What that act would be depended on what they were able to learn about one of the largest cities in the Fire Nation, and one of the most industrial. It was a critical city for Hermione's iron grip on power and if they could damage it's infrastructure it would deal another heavy blow to her oppressive regime. Harry fell asleep that night nervous and wondering what the next day would bring.

 **That is the end of the Jang Hui story arc and now it is onto the Fire Fountain City story arc. I was going to do a chapter on Team Avatar's trip to Shu Jing and meeting the latest Piandao but in the end it felt like it would detract from the action so I cut it out, it will be in the eventual 'Lost Adventures' story that will be released after Book 5 and be the last full length story in this series. T** **here is nothing to add here so a** **s always keep letting me know what you think of this story in the reviews and any questions asked in reviews or PMs to me will be answered at the start of next week's chapter when it is released on time as usual. Until next week.**

 **Stringdog**


	14. Chapter 14

**Here is the 14th chapter of Book 2, on time as always. Nothing new to add here so sit back and enjoy the latest installment in Avatar: The Tale of Harry. Book 2: Equality.**

 **Disclaimer: As always I won nothing related to either of these two great works of fiction.**

 **Chapter 14**

"Well I say that the first thing we do is find the safe house that Pyrites has set up here." Ron said as he went back to the truck and pulled out a book that had been it the glove box since before they left Pyrites's storage island.

The book contained a list of all the properties and the various shell companies that Pyrites owned and operated within the Fire Nation. This was the list of the ones that Voldemort, and thus the rest of the world, knew nothing about. The properties and companies that Voldemort had known about and used had been cataloged in Pyrites's ledgers and subsequently seized in the immediate aftermath of the global raids that brought down Voldemort's intelligence network.

"How many are here?" Harry asked. "Cos it might be best if we split up, at least to begin with."

It was the morning after they had arrived at the outskirts of Fire Fountain City and Team Avatar was gathered around a small stove eating a breakfast of lightly spiced rice, cheese and bread. Ron had just fetched the book and was pursuing it, while munching on some hippo cow jerky so as to enjoy a little meat with his morning meal.

"Says here that there are 3 safe houses in the Fire Fountain City." Ron said as he flipped to the page that detailed their current location. "Hopefully they are still there after 5 years of Hermione's autocratic rule. Who knows what property she has seized without due process just because the owners were wealthy or opposed her dictatorial regime."

"Debatable." Ginny said putting her bowl down with a slight wince as she patted her ribs. "It probably depends on what the companies were that owned the safe houses, were the properties were located, and how important they are to Hermione."

Harry looked at his fiancé with a little concern. Despite the healing that Ron had initially done, that she had improved on, Ginny was still sore from the wounds she had received in Jang Hui. She had decided not to heal the scars completely as she felt they showed her experience in battle and served as a reminder to them all what they fought for here and the price they were all were willing to pay to free the Fire Nation form oppression and tyranny.

So far Ginny hadn't had any nightmares about her actions, in fact she had admitted to Harry that she barely remembered anything between after she threw her sai at the officer and waking up in a bed in the house of healing in Jang Hui that Harry had moved her too after the general had killed himself. Ginny had been unable to explain what had taken over her during that part of the fight other than blind rage and adrenaline. If it weren't for the injuries she had suffered in the confrontation, Ginny wouldn't have believed herself capable of something like that. She had healed herself of anything Ron had missed over the last week but according to her, the general soreness would linger for a few more days.

"What do you mean?" Luna asked.

"Well think of it." Ginny said. "The cunt comes to power and is hell-bent on destroying anything of the old guard, anything that reeks of wealth, her interpretation of privilege, elitism or class order. So it would make sense for her to confiscate any property that would be associated with that and then redistributed it to her own allies as rewards to keep their loyalty. We know she did so with the properties around the palace because of her proclamations over the years on international VV. The same with the nobles' wealth, she admitted to that during her victory speech after murdering Iroh and officially creating the Fire Utopia, so it makes sense to do it nationwide. It would go a long way to ensuring the opportunistic, and the severely poor who were overlooked by Iroh because he had to deal with the petty shit on the Fire Assembly, to here side by giving them properties they didn't have before. The bitch has had 5 years to purge the nation of all who oppose her or that represents a system she for some fucked up reason thinks as oppressive, racist, bigoted, intolerant and tyrannical. Sure there were problems, there always are, but Iroh always tried to make the Fire Nation a fair, equal and just place just like his mother and grandfather before him. What it is now is what Hermione claimed it was before, that's the great irony of the situation. Now, while Pyrites may be skilled at hiding pretty much anything, as much as I hate to admit that, he ain't so good that he could keep all of his secret holdings from a power mad tyrant like Hermione while he was in prison and she had free reign of the nation."

"That would make sense." Harry said as he began to clean the bowls and pot with waterbending and repack them. "Well Ron? We know Pyrites is a meticulous bastard. Does he say which companies or aliases own property here?"

"Let's see." Ron said as he looked at the book. "There's an apartment he owns by the post office in the name of an Argentus Moranus who appears to be his business allies when undercover in Fire Fountain City. Then there is a house near the fountain itself that belongs to a company called Best Purity Ore that is used should he need to conduct illicit business practices for a high end ore company he owns via a shell corporation incorporated on Whale Tail Island. Lastly a storage warehouse just off the industrial zone to north of the city that belongs to an Alpha Chemical Solutions, a corporation that is registered in Ba Sing Se."

"The one by the fountain would have been seized." Neville said as soon as Ron was done. "A house in that location is a sign of wealth here and Best Purity Ore was a company before Hermione took power that specialized in refining gold and platinum, the purest of metals, so it was a wealthy company. Hence why it was a high end, specialty company. I dunno much about it other than it was a small operation localized to this area and constantly being investigated as a front for something but nothing was ever proven. Hermione would have seized it for the resources alone, they did produce the highest quality platinum in the nation and that is a valuable resource to any military due to it being the only metal that no one can bend. Gold and silver are almost impossible to bend but a few metalbenders can do so, just not by much."

"Huh?" Ron said clearly amazed at what Neville had said. "And here I was thinking that all the companies listed in here were fake or shell corporations."

"Well we haven't really looked at the list so it ain't a surprise that some are real." Harry said. "Plus Pyrites's legitimate wealth that we couldn't touch after his arrest is vast so it makes sense that it would come from legitimate companies that he owns but that likely have shady dealings of their own. What about the other two?"

"I can't see why either would have been seized." Ron said as he looked over the info on the other two locations. "The alias that owns the apartment is for a man who is a middle class businessman who travels a lot, likely not a significant enough target for Hermione's greed. The warehouse is just a warehouse that stores chemicals for everyday uses like insecticide and bleach, again nothing of significant value. I say we check both out."

"Agreed." Harry said as he cleared up the last of their breakfast. "Ginny and I will go check the apartment. We know Pyrites stopped here after we parted ways 3 weeks ago so I presume he at least tried to use the apartment while he was here, it might have some information left for us. The warehouse would give you three a chance to check out the industrial area here, something this area has always been famous for, and a convenient place to stash the truck."

"Any disguises?" Luna asked. "Cos we are about to go into one of the largest and most industrial cities in the nation. A key asset to Hermione and her oppression so there will be a high military presence, a large number of Blades for her dirty work, a large police force, probably several FUICEE agents and the possibility of at least 1 Chosen stationed here."

"I think so." Ron replied thinking on what his fiance had said. "You, me, and Neville will go with a military look as we are going to the warehouses, I expect them to be under military control. We can decided between officers and enlisted when we get there and know what would be less suspicious to the soldiers likely stationed there."

"We will just go in as a couple who are friends of Argentus." Harry said taking Ginny's hand. "If stopped we say we are from the capital and making an inspection on Argentus's behalf or something. It shouldn't be too hard to come up with a plausible cover story."

"Alright let's do some recon then meet at the statue in the center of the city in the evening." Ron said putting the book away in the truck and grabbing an officer's tunic to drive in. "Wear rough clothes though and head to a local tavern."

"Tavern?" Ginny asked. "You want to get wasted or something."

"Not really but people talk more when they have consumed a fair amount of alcohol." Ron said with a smile. "Plus in a working class place like this, there will be many people there so it won't be hard to find some disgruntled, underpaid and underappreciated workers."

"That's settled then." Harry said as he put the cooking stuff away and grabbed a go bag of clothes, spare weapons, cash, and a few fake papers for himself and Ginny. "We will see y'all tonight."

Ron nodded as he, Luna and Neville got back into the truck. Ron turned the engine on and drove away returning to the road and then taking the road that led to the industrial sector. Harry and Ginny waited until the truck was out of sight and the dust from its tires had settled before walking hand in hand down the road and towards Fire Fountain City.

* * *

The young couple strolled into town keeping an eye out for anything that might provide them with some new information on Hermione's current mood. Harry knew a little about the city from his history studies at the Academy and reading up on it in preparation for the mission. They knew that they would have to visit the city at some point given its size and industrial importance to the Fire Nation and as such to Hermione's oppressive regime. The city had once been known as North Chung-Ling before the massive and exaggerated statue of Fire Lord Ozai was erected in the city center following his coronation. The jets of fire permanently coming from his mouth and clenched fists had led to the city's name change.

Towards the end of the 100 year war, the city had begun to attract a seedy crowd of con artists and other similarly unsavory characters who plied their trade in the back allies of the city, preying on unsuspecting tourists. Though when Aang had arrived here, Team Avatar had beaten them at their own game to help fund their reconnaissance mission into the Fire Nation. The city had been the sight of the seconded encounter with the infamous assassin known as Combustion Man by Team Avatar, but other than that, Fire Fountain City had stayed out of direct action during the war.

After the war, Zuko had allowed the city to decided if it wanted to keep the statue of his father or not. The city had ultimately chosen to keep it as it had become a tourist sight and it was why the city had changed its name. The statue and name stayed both as a reminder to how far the nation had fallen during the 100 year war, and to help the local economy because it was still a tourist attraction. The city was still a major industrial center in the Fire Nation, though the industry switched from war to more peaceful things over the last century or so of peace. Harry assumed that the industry had reverted back to war 5 years ago when Hermione took control.

As they walked through the city they noticed that the city no longer had any of the con artists it had become known for almost as much as its industry and giant, fire-breathing, statue. They did notice a relatively large police, at least Harry assumed the people were the Fire Utopia equivalent of police, presence in distinctive black uniforms, studded truncheons and rank insignia.

Harry studied the police officers surreptitiously whenever they passed them and noted that they saw wore a black uniform with a gold trim, buttons and a gold stripe down the outside of the legs and a black peaked cap in addition to their lethal looking truncheons. They didn't look like the few royal police officers that Harry had seen when he was in the capital after being forced to flee the Academy 5 and a half years ago. They would have to ask about Hermione's police force later when they tried to interact with the locals.

In addition to the police presence, Harry and Ginny saw several more cut throat looking people in the shady alleys of the city. Harry could only assume that these people were members of the Blades, the nonbender gang that basically did all of Hermione's really dirty work that not even her secret police, the FUICEE could do, like public killings and looting.

Harry had a feeling that the con artists had been purged by Hermione for their crimes and undesirable status, her ruthlessness would suggest as much. Not the worst thing she had done, but still the con artists should be fined only, not sent to labor camps or prison for what amounted to petty crime. It was a clear disproportionate punishment and in violation of international standards on cruel and unusual punishment, not that Hermione gave a shit about what was or was not cruel or unusual.

As with the rest of the nation that Harry had seen so far, there was an unmistakable air of oppression here. The few citizens, who weren't police or Blades, that they saw were scurrying around with their heads down, clearly fearful of the police and the Blades.

It took about half an hour for them to reach the post office. It had changed with the modernizing of national mail systems and while the rookery still stood it was likely more symbolic than actually in use, other than for a few more nostalgic citizens who still liked to use Messenger Hawks.

As they reached the building, Harry noticed a poster board on the side of the post office and walked to inspect it. As they had been walking through the city, they had passed several posters and banners of Hermione and proclamations of her enlightened laws and triumphing her glorious and benevolent reign. Basically the standard propaganda and attempts at creating a cult of personality shit that they had seen all over the nation. As Harry approached the board he couldn't help but smirk to himself at the notice in bold lettering on the board. This this was not a propaganda piece, at least not in the traditional sense.

 **Attention Citizens of the Fire Utopia:**

 **After recent acts of terrorism against out glorious and enlightened nation, committed by the tyrannical terrorist group ironically known as the Liberation from Tyrants Movement, the LFTM, her highness, the Enlightened Fire Empress, Hermione the Savior, has made the following actions illegal by Royal Decree:**

 **Anyone found to have spoken of the LFTM in a positive way, agreed with them on any of their evil and wrong ideas, shown even the remotest sign of support for theses heinous and sadistic terrorists and their vile and reprehensible actions, such as killing innocent civilians, including women and children, in anyway will be instantly convicted of treason and summarily, and publicly, executed.**

 **Anything associated with the LFTM in any neutral or positive light is hereby illegal and punishable by a life sentence of hard labor working for the betterment of the Fire Utopia, or death if the crime is severe enough. Fire Empress Hermione the Savior has worked tirelessly for the last 5 years to end the tyranny and oppression that afflicted our great nation during the dark days of the Firelords and these villains want to bring that oppression back to you. Do not let these terrorists restore tyranny to the Fire Utopia through destruction, force and lies.  
**

 **Since the LFTM has begun to act, over 60 brave and loyal soldiers and citizens who strive to serve, protect and preserve the enlightened laws of our beloved Empress have been brutally slaughtered in cold blood by these monsters. They have spread vicious lies and falsehoods about Fire Empress Hermione the Savior and her fellow members of the Enlightened Council. The evil terrorists are driven to undermine all the noble work that our benevolent Empress has done for the Fire Utopia.**

 **Any information on the LFTM will be rewarded should it pan out, any false or misleading information will be treated as support of for the terrorists and will be punished accordingly. Please see the Enforces of Enlightenment, the FUICEE, the Fire Utopia Territorial Army or the Chosen assigned to your region with any information you have on these evil criminals and terrorists so that they may be brought to justice. These groups are here for your protection and safety, not these terrorists. Do not believe any of the lies that they are spreading to sow discontent in our harmonious and perfect utopia. Remember, you do not need to worry about anything anymore so long as you follow the laws of our enlightened Empress.**

 **By Royal Decree of Fire Empress Hermione the Savior; The Restorer of Equality, The Destroyer of Tyranny, The Slayer of Tyrants, The Eternal Protector of the Fire Utopia, and The Creator of Enlightened Laws for the betterment of the world.**

Well that explained what the police were called, the Enforcers of Enlightenment. A pretty grand title for what Harry assumed was a mixture of opportunistic thugs and die hard, nonbending, loyalists to Hermione who forced the civilian population into line by any means necessary.

Did Hermione really need all these branches to enforce her rules and keep the citizens oppressed? Probably given the extreme nature of her views. Shaking his head at it, Harry and Ginny left the in silence from the post office and headed towards an relatively modern looking apartment complex nearby that, according to the book Pyrites had provided. was where the apartment was.

Harry knew that the message would only further the seeds of resistance and eventual rebellion that the LFTM was sowing in the Fire Nation as it showed not only how tyrannical Hermione was by outlawing even speaking of the LFTM. It would only further discussion of them by making the LFTM a taboo and risque topic thus making it more alluring to the average, downtrodden, citizen.

It also showed how weak she felt she was as by criminalizing all the forms of reference to a group opposed to her. By completely strangling any mention or reference of them other than in a negative light, Hermione had shown that she was not strong enough to counter their arguments so she was going to brutally silence them instead. Her clear lies didn't help her cause, nor did the extremely harsh penalties. It did however, help Harry's cause so he was going to take the gift Hermione's temper tantrum had provided and hoped that no one suffered because of them and Hermione's clear instability and budding insanity.

A few minutes later, Harry and Ginny reached the apartment complex without incident and went up to the 3rd floor to a small studio apartment by the stairwell. Harry pulled out a key ring with the key that was supposed to open the apartment on it. Ron had found it in an envelope in the glove box where the book was stored. With a look around to make sure they weren't being watched Harry put the key into the lock and turned it. The key turned as expected and Harry pushed the door open.

Inside was a tastefully appointed, simple, apartment with a small kitchen, a sofa and a bed in the corner. A single piece of abstract art was on the wall above the sofa. It was an unassuming place for an unassuming man, perfect for whatever shady dealings Pyrites had in the city. Harry quickly closed and locked the door while Ginny went to check the fridge and cabinets.

"There's a few easy to make things here, most with expiration dates years away." Ginny called out as Harry put the bag he had brought on the bed and took a seat on the sofa with a sigh after the long walk, bending off his metal boots in the process. "Basically just standard provisions just in case Pyrites is stuck here for a while, or in case we showed up after him. Knowing that asshole, the later is more likely."

"What do you expect." Harry said as Ginny came over to join him on the sofa. "He does like to be prepared for pretty much any eventuality."

"So what was your opinion of the city?" Ginny asked as she cuddled up to him on the sofa.

"Same as everywhere we have been." Harry said with a sad sigh. "High law enforcement presence, clear feeling of oppression, ridicules amounts of self aggrandizing propaganda, and a purge of undesirables with the exception of the scum who serve the cunt in power as her extra judicial killing force."

"Agreed." Ginny said sadly. "The notice was amusing though. It should help us."

"Oh it will." Harry said with a grim smile. "The more you make a topic taboo, the more it appeals to the people and the more they want to learn about it. The only truly effective way to remove an idea or belief from civilized society is to debate and debunk it and show how evil it is. By ignoring and criminalizing it, it only pushes people more into learning about it. It was the mistake that Korra and the other World Leaders in her time made with the Purist Movement and philosophy and look where it led. It will serve us in the long run but I just hope people don't suffer too much for our actions."

"Same but we cannot expect an unstable mind like Hermione's to act rationally." Ginny said. "We will do the best we can and in a few months we should have that bitch in chains. Those who suffer because of us, we will ensure that Hermione and her cronies pay for what they have done but I will always feel the guilt for the consequences of our actions here."

"We all will." Harry said. "But we already do for allowing that bitch to oppress this nation for 5 years. This guilt is what makes us human, it shows we have a conscience, that we are better than Hermione who feels no remorse for her actions. We fight so that others may not suffer in the future. Back during the Second Purity War and the Battle of the Elemental Academy, I accepted that when dealing with a megalomaniac, madman or madwoman, with a lust for power and domination, that we won't save everyone. It is something that we will always live with and strive to improve."

"Agreed." Ginny said as she rested her head on his shoulder.

"Anyway, what intrigued me was the reference to the Enforcers of Enlightenment." Harry said bringing the conversation back to the situation at hand.

"Yeah, I got the feeling that they are the internal police force here." Ginny said though she still sounded sad at the plight of the citizens that they hadn't been able to save. "We haven't really been in a large enough town or city to run into a police, Jang Hui was a militarized zone because of the factory and Shu Jing was too remote to need internal police. Who do you think they are?"

"Probably loyalist to Hermione and the Enlightened but don't qualify as Chosen, aren't suited to the military and aren't bloodthirsty enough for the Blades." Harry said as he thought a little more on the Enforcers of Enlightenment. "Benders born to nonbenders, while it occurs, is not particularly common so likely the Chosen are Hermione's elite and personal guard while the Enforcers of Enlightenment are as loyal to their warped views as the Chosen, with a few opportunistic thugs thrown in for good measure. She needs them to maintain general law and order in the larger, metropolitan areas where the military would come off as too threatening."

"I presume that the cutthroats we saw were members of the Blades." Ginny said. "But I am not in any hurry to find out."

"Neither." Harry agreed. "Well we have a few hours to kill before we have to meet the others so what should we do."

Ginny smirked at him before kissing him passionately. She broke the kiss a little too early for Harry's liking and stood up, walking towards the bed, swaying her hips seductively. As she walked, she took her shirt and breast wrap in one move and turned to face him a seductive smile on her face, her arm teasingly covering her breasts.

"Well we haven't had a moment alone for weeks and unlike Luna, I have the decency to not fuck in camp." Ginny said in a sultry tone. "And I don't know about you but I have been horny as fuck for ages. So get your hot ass over here and fuck me senseless."

"Yes mam." Harry said with a grin ripping his own shirt off and heading over to take care of his fiancé.

As Ginny snaked her arms around his neck and began to kiss him again all thoughts of their friends and Fire Fountain City left his mind. Replaced by lust and love that had been pent up for weeks.

* * *

Ron drove the truck to the industrial district to the north of Fire Fountain City. As expected, there was a heavy military presence in this area and it soon became obvious why. As they drove they passed a large mining complex, the miners that they could see wore tattered gray rags and Ron could see the heavy ankle cuffs on them as they walked. It was a prison camp. It disgusted Ron to see the forced slave labor, many of whom were likely not legitimate criminals and all looked beaten and malnourished. The military was present as it was a nationalized mine, as was all the industry in the Hermione's so called utopia, and they were keeping an eye on the inmates, occasionally beating one for no apparent reason.

"It's disgusting." Ron said as they passed the mine and continued on the road past an armaments factory and towards the series of warehouses in the distance that was their destination. "Once that bitch is in chains, we will ensure that all these monsters face the justice they so richly deserve."

"There's no spirit energy at all." Luna said a sad look on her pretty face as she looked out of the window at the human misery around them. "I haven't felt any spirits with the exception of the Painted Lady after we saved Jang Hui since we got here. It's like the spirits know how evil and depressing the Fire Nation has become and has deserted it."

Ron didn't question his fiancé's words. She had always been the most spiritual of the entire team and over the last few years with her work with the spirits in Republic City she had developed an affinity for them that he couldn't explain, understand or hope to replicate.

"We will free them." Ron said to the others as they reached a collection of warehouses. "But we have to complete our mission in order to do so. Neville which one is it supposed to be?"

"Should be the farthest back corner." Neville said looking over the notes in the book. "The lease was signed 18 years ago and is supposed to run for 100 years but of course that was with Fire Nation government not whatever the Fire Utopia's system is. According to the note on the warehouse, it is supposed to have some serious locks to ensure that only Pyrites, or his representatives, could open it."

"Well we have the necessary paperwork to get in just in case we need it and the right key to enter it." Ron said. As they came to the warehouses they found an outer fence, topped with barbed wire, and a gated checkpoint outside the entrance to the warehouses. "I'm pretty sure all this is new. Pass me the paperwork we have Neville. Time to bluff, bribe or beat our way in."

Ron drove up to the checkpoint and slowed the truck down to a stop. He took the paperwork from Neville that said they were here to inspect one of the warehouses on behalf of the Military High Command. Specifically they were here to inspect the warehouse that had been associated this Alpha Chemical Solutions. The paperwork had been a collection of blank templates that had acquired from the general's quarters in factory near Jang Hui and they had taken them just in case of something like this. They had all the official seals and identifiers, all Ron had needed to do was fill it out with what he needed the orders to do.

Once the truck stopped, Ron rolled down the window to look at the bored corporal at the gate. The man instantly snapped to attention and saluted when he saw the captain's insignia on Ron's arm sleeve. With Ron's beard, height and built he looked about 10-15 years older than he actually was.

"Captain." The corporal said clearly surprised to see an officer.

"At ease corporal." Ron said in his most authoritative voice and the soldier took an at ease stance.

"What brings you here sir?" The corporal asked. Judging by the look of him he wasn't much older than Ron.

"Inspection of a warehouse." Ron answered handing the paperwork over to the soldier. The man's eyes went wide when he saw their destination.

"Sir no one has been able to get into the ACS warehouse since the company was nationalized 5 years ago when Empress Hermione the Savior took power." The man said though Ron noted that the man's use of Hermione's name and epithet was more the reflex of a trained soldier and not the praise of a fanatic. "According to their records there wasn't anything in it so it wasn't a high priority to break into but still the Empress wants to see if there is anything of use to the Fire Utopia in it at some point. For the last 5 years it has been left as it was, we don't have any need for it at the moment."

"Well we recently found access." Ron said. "And Her Majesty wants it inspected as soon as possible just in case there is anything in there that might be of use to the military."

"How sir?" The corporal asked before realizing his mistake. "Sorry sir. I did not mean to question you orders. It's just that the warehouse has been locked since I got here and it's a curiosity as it is the only one not in use. The rest are being filled with mecha suits and other weapons that are produced here. Though only about 56% are completely full, the rest are well on the way to being filled with various pieces of heavy weapons and machinery."

"It's ok corporal I won't report you." Ron said in a tone that was reproachful but kind while he was smirking inwardly at the info the man had revealed. So Hermione was stockpiling heavy weapons and equipment, interesting. "But I know little more than you do about the warehouse in question. My commander sent me here to look at it because she didn't want to come all the way out here to inspect one warehouse. Between you and me she's a little prejudiced against benders and men so she sent me all the way out here on what will almost certainly be a wild turtle duck chase."

This cause a knowing look to come over the corporal's face. Ron smiled as he continued, this man was a true soldier just following orders, Ron could work with that.

"Anyway from what I have gathered it was associated with a Lord Argo, a noble who died decades ago hence why we didn't find anything on it when it was first looked into." Ron continued. "After all who would check the records of a long dead noble who's son is a convicted Death Eater serving a life sentence in an unknown location and who had all his assets seized prior to Empress Hermione's ascension. We'll be here for a few days probably to make sure we catalog everything, you know how thorough Her Majesty is."

The corporal smiled and handed back the paperwork to Ron nodding at Ron's comments.

"Well go on through then." The corporal said waving them through with a salute.

Ron didn't return it as he was driving but smiled back and rolled up the window before driving through and into the large grid of warehouses. He drove all the way to the last row and continued past the drab green, military, warehouses to the one at the farthest end. Unlike the others that had the flame and book symbol of the Fire Utopia on them, the last one had the words ALPHA CHEMICAL SOLUTIONS Co. stenciled in faded black on the side.

"Well that was smooth back there." Neville said as he and Luna hopped out and walked to the warehouse. It was double locked with a key lock and a pin code lock. Neville had both the key and the combination from the book.

"I thought so." Ron called out with a laugh as he remained in the truck to drive into the warehouse once it was opened. "That man was clearly a career soldier who doesn't like, but will still, follow orders so he might be useful to talk to later. Now why haven't they broken in yet?"

Ron watched as Neville tapped the warehouse and the locks before opening both and sliding the door open. Ron drove into the spacious and empty warehouse save for a few boxes of chemicals on the far wall. Luna flipped the lights on while Neville closed the doors and locked them. Once Ron had parked the truck he hopped out and noticed what looked like an improvised explosive device on the back of the door.

"I believe that this warehouse is made out of reinforced titanium." Neville said looking at the device. "Though as a firebender, not a metalbender, I could be wrong. Harry would know better. Also if anyone had tampered with the door, it probably would have blown up and destroyed the whole warehouse. The unlocking deactivated it so we should be fine."

"Seems our associate was really paranoid about securing this place." Ron said looking around. "Given what we know of Pyrites, I'm not surprised. Dunno why as there's jack shit here but if he had it constructed out of titanium then Hermione would have likely seen it as too much effort for little reward. It's a hard metal to bend or break and if this place is listed as empty or only partially filled with basic chemical, there is no point in bothering to break in. However, Pyrites is a cautious bastard and thinks everything through so there must be a reason for all this security."

"Well I have a possible reason." Luna said and Ron turned to see is fiancé facing the far wall. "Is it just me or does the far wall seem a little closer than it should."

Ron stared at the drab wall and realized that Luna was right it did seem a little closer than the warehouse had looked from the outside. Ron walked towards it. When he reached it he tapped it. A hollow sound greeted him and he smirked.

"It's fake." Ron said with a grin. "I knew that fucker wouldn't just have a place like this without using it. Let's see if there is a door or something."

The searched but it wasn't until the removed the empty boxes that they found a small door set into the wall. It wasn't locked, likely due to the fact that no one would have checked for it unless they knew how Pyrites operated. Opening it, Ron flipped a light switch on the wall and stared at the hidden room.

Inside was a control room filled with radio equipment, interceptors, receivers, and recording devices that were all still on though running on passive systems. There was a selection of files in a bookshelf on one wall, a cot bed, a safe that was open showing a lot of money and jewels, and a few chests for spare clothes. There was also a shower and toilet to one side and small kitchenette that likely had nothing edible in it.

"What the fuck is all this?" Ron asked as they entered the room. "Looks like our friendly spymaster had some secret recording studio here."

"What should we do about it?" Neville asked as he looked around the room.

"Investigate it." Luna said bluntly.

"I concur." Ron said before turning to Neville. "Neville, go chat with the soldier at the gate. Pretend to be as an enlisted soldier and see if you can find out anything of use, especially if there us a local tavern that is popular among the enlisted men and civilians in the city."

"What shall I tell them about why I have left you and Luna here?" Neville asked as he double checked the uniform he had put on before coming here to make sure it had an NCO rank on it and that it looked pristine.

Ron looked at Luna then at the cot then pointedly at Neville.

"Ron's going to fuck me very hard in all my holes and then we will inspect this spy station for intel." Luna said helpfully with an innocent smile, causing Neville and Ron to stutter. "So it shouldn't be hard to come up with some excuse to give."

Neville just nodded and turned to head out before Ron called after him.

"We'll come find you in a bit and then head into town to meet up with the others."

Neville just shook his head and hurried out of the room and to the truck. Once there he changed into a simple red shirt with the Fire Utopia logo and a pair of loose black pants, deciding it was best to look off duty and a little more relaxed than a stiff, well trained soldier. Grabbing his sword and strapping it to his back and his lightning rod, collapsed, to his waist he headed out just as he heard sounds coming from the hidden room that he didn't want to hang around for. Luna had a reputation for being incredibly noisy.

Neville walked at a standard pace to the front gate, trying to gain information on the warehouses he was passing but not seeing anything of note. Most were locked with thick padlocks while the few that weren't locked had nothing noteworthy inside when he peaked in, likely getting prepared to be stocked with the more valuable equipment. In short order he reached the front entrance to the warehouse section and the bored looking corporal on duty.

"Hey how's the grunt work going." Neville said as he approached the man. The corporal looked up a little startled before recognizing Neville from earlier.

"You're one of the soldiers with that captain." The corporal said looking over Neville with an inquisitive eye. "Why are you out of uniform?"

"Off duty." Neville said simply. "The captain is busy so I thought I'd come and keep a fellow non com company. Sergeant Frank by the way."

The corporal shook Neville's hand with a smile.

"Always a pleasure to talk with a fellow grunt, even if you are a sergeant." The corporal said with a smirk. "Officers just don't understand us enlisted men. So what is your Captain doing?"

"Right now that cute brunette second lieutenant who was with us." Neville said with a laugh that the corporal joined in with.

"A junior officer fucking a superior is not really within regulations but these days the Empress doesn't care for regulations so long as we keep the people in line and obeying her enlightened laws." The corporal said shaking his head. "Back when I enlisted 7 years ago that shit would not have been accepted but times have changed since then."

"True, that's why I think she volunteered for this assignment so that they could fuck in peace and not get caught." Neville said as he began to fish for information. "The higher ups wouldn't take my word over that of two officers so they have free reign to enjoy their affair. Anyway, I noticed the prison mine on our way in. Looks like y'all are doing well keeping the criminals in line."

"Yeah most are traitors to the Empress." The corporal said with a note of pity in his voice that struck Neville as odd but then again this was a pre Hermione soldier so perhaps he wasn't the biggest fan of the current regime. "Almost all are serving life sentences in the labor mines for spreading banned philosophies, thoughts and other views contrary to the Empress's enlightened views. That's what gets you a life sentence of hard labor these days. Their leaders tend to just disappear or die mysteriously. Actual criminals are also there, but most of them are in the usual prisons. For some reason, the Empress doesn't like prisons unless they are for murderers or rapists but doe like forced labor camps for dissidents."

"The law is what the Empress says it is" Neville said with a shrug. "We just get our orders and follow them am I right. Such is the life of grunts."

"Haha yes, we are just simple grunts and not wise enough to lead. We are only good to follow." Again Neville heard a note of irritation in the corporal's voice. "I gotta ask a few things."

"Sure ask away." Neville said. "Not like I have anything better to do. My commanding officer is fucking his aid right now and I have never been to this region so I don't know what there is to do around here."

"Well two things, first how did you end up as a third wheel on an assignment to inspect a locked warehouse with two officers having?" The corporal asked. "And secondly you don't sound like a grunt, no offense, so why are you a non com?"

"The answer to both of your questions is the same." Neville said with a laugh defaulting to a back story he had created just in case of this line of questioning. "I am a pureblood and former noble from the days of Firelords. Back when our benevolent Empress took power, all my family's assets were seized as criminal assets earned with the whips of oppression and as such no longer mine, despite the fact that we never oppressed anyone who worked for us. Dunno what happened to any of the money or our other assets but I presume they went to Hermione loyalists. As a result, my family was left broke so I enlisted in the army as a way to make ends meet. I was set to join the Royal Officer Academy before Iroh fell so I being a soldier was a given. The whole war with Voldemort had me wanting to serve my nation. As a former noble, well the son of a noble, and a pureblood I am banned from becoming an officer under the new laws but I had the army in my heart so I enlisted. My superior is a commoner and a nonbender who joined the military as an Enlightened agent and hates the fact that my parents were nobles and that I am a bender so she sends me on all these bullshit assignments. Problem for her is that I have excelled at all the shit she has had me do and as such she had to promote me. We are all supposed to be equal after all."

"Your parents were nobles?" The corporal asked with genuine curiosity and no animosity towards Neville, something that surprised him slightly. "Yeah the whole Purist Movement caused a lot of damage to the nation so there are many nonbending officers who think like that unfortunately. Most benders I knew, even the purebloods, weren't Purists but when a minority is so vocal, the force the innocent to be unfairly lumped in with them based on similar, inalienable characteristics like bending. Without the Avatar here, well there's no way to cure that animosity and Empress Hermione only fuels it with her hateful rhetoric."

"Yeah they were but they were committed to equality and fair treatment of regardless of wealth, birth station, or bending status." Neville said with sadness, the best lies were always those that were based on truths. "They were labeled blood traitors by Voldemort and killed by his Death Eaters when I was very young. Of course, to someone like Hermione, all that matters is the worst actions of a minority of us and our ancestors to make the rest of us all guilty by association, and guilty until proven innocent."

"I'm sorry to hear that." The corporal said and Neville could hear the sympathy and empathy in the soldier's voice. "I don't agree with the labeling of all nobles as evil Purists and/or elitists but I am way too lowly to argue with the Empress or risk prison for disagreeing with her enlightened views. I for one appreciate your willingness to serve in the only capacity you can. It takes a lot to lose everything on the whims of an immature, unstable, erratic, arbitrary, and tyrannical leader and still serve her."

"Thank you." Neville said with a smile before asking. "What do you think of Avatar Harry?"

"I think he's not the evil, racist, ignorant, elitist, fascist, cheating bigot the Empress constantly claims him to be." The corporal said thinking. "He did stop Voldemort after all and he is the Avatar so he can't be all bad. I know he is human ans subject to the same faults as the rest of us but he is also more than that. I doubt the ultimate spirit of light like Raava would let him be evil. But what do I know, I'm just a dumb grunt."

"Same." Neville said with a laugh. "But alas we cannot speak like this normally. One day free speech and freedom may return to our nation, but alas that is not today."

Before the corporal could respond, Neville saw Ron and Luna approaching on foot. Ron had changed into a red cap and patching vest with no shirt and black pants and a one handed machete strapped to his back, a water skin at his hip and a pair of hunting knives in his boots. Luna was wearing a simple black skirt, tights, and a matching top with gloves, a headband and no visible weapons. She was walking slightly funny though Neville had a feeling that Luna was over exaggerating it, at least he thought she was doing so. Neville knew that Ron would have several more blades on him just in case.

"Sergeant, good we just finished in the warehouse and were about to head into the city." Ron called as Neville and the corporal snapped to attention, giving identical salutes. "Stand at ease boys. I'm out of uniform so no need to be formal."

"Of course sir." The corporal said standing at ease as Neville just relaxed his stance. "How was the warehouse?"

"As expected." Ron said as he and Luna reached them. Neville noticed that Ron had a series of white bandages on his chest that was hiding his Southern Water Tribe tattoo. "Just a bunch of expired chemicals that will need to be destroyed for safety and several old documents pertaining to Lord Argo's businesses that the eggheads back in the capital can deal with. Argo was a noted alchemist who's formulas were lost when his son was locked up, so there is some potential value there but its all beyond my pay grade and knowledge. It should take a few days to catalog everything and the potential uses that we can return. We could have used some scientists but those not purged by the Empress for their dissenting views and convicted of treason are busy working in the capital on. Most are working on some gender science stuff but again, it's all over my head."

"Scientists are needed and fortunately a good portion of the intelligentsia wasn't purged as many agreed with Hermione's views prior to her ascension to the throne." The corporal said before glancing at the bandages on Ron's chest. "If you don't mind me asking sir, what happened to your chest?"

"A minor burn." Ron lied smoothly. "I had a run in on the way down here with a few LFTM wannabees and while I dispatched them without a problem, one of them got a lucky shot in and burned my chiselled chest. I intend to see a healer when I get back to the capital but for now I am fine. I have some first aid training, and soothing and numbing balms, in the truck so I am good for the moment."

"Well at least you stopped them." The corporal said with a respectful nod. "I may not like some of what our government does, but terrorism is not the answer."

"Anyway what's the best tavern around here?" Ron asked switching the topic from dealing with their resistance movement. "I wish to show my fellow soldiers a good time while we are here. Have to enjoy the little things these days."

"The Combustion Room." The corporal said without hesitation. "All the free workers and many of the enlisted go there as well as it's way better than the shit we have at the base here. It's just off the town center near the Enforcers for Enlighten headquarters so those wannabe soldiers occasional burst in and harass the patrons but it comes with the territory. It was named after the combustionbending attack that occurred here during the 100 year war, and the fact that their signature cocktail is the Combustion Bomb and bow does it have a fucking kick."

"Well thank you corporal." Ron said with a nod. "We will walk to town now, the exercise would do us good. Don't want to fail our next physical now do we."

"No we don't." The corporal agreed.

"Also, we need a break from all the work and my ex girlfriend works in the city." Luna said with a wink that caused the corporal's eyes to widen slightly. "Thank you corporal, given the nature of what we have found we expect discretion. The captain has deemed this classified, you understand. I believe some of the chemicals we found could be used in bombs and we don't want to alert the LFTM that there is unstable compounds out here."

"Of course lieutenant." The corporal responded crisply. "I should advice you that if you are not in uniform then you may run into issues with the Blades. They are technically on our side, though they operate outside of law, which I for one cannot stand but they help the Empress enforce her laws. They are nothing more than thugs and criminals and may attack if they think you are an easy target. Though the captain here looks like he can handle himself."

"Oh I know he can." Luna said with a smirk and another wink.

"Don't worry corporal we'll be fine." Ron said opening his vest showing another hunting knife at his belt. He had let Ginny keep the one he had thrown to her after she had shown her skill with it.

Without another word to the corporal, Ron headed into town with Luna by his side. Neville just looked at the corporal and tried to show that he was grateful for the conversation before he ran off like a dutiful sergeant after his officer. Neville was glad for the talk but now they had more to do in the city. There was more for them to learn, this time from the free workers, they may be more open than soldiers about the true conditions in Fire Fountain City and the industry in the area. It was time for some more recon.

 **Sorry for the length, there was a lot to sort out in this chapter. The next few will have more action so get ready for that. Not much more to add here, other than that Frank is a reference to Neville's father and the alias he is using in the Fire Utopia.** **A** **s usual, keep letting me know what you think of this story in the reviews and any questions asked in reviews or PMs to me will be answered at the start of next week's chapter when it is released on time as usual. Until next week.**

 **Stringdog**


	15. Chapter 15

**Here is the 15th chapter of Book 2. Sorry this is late, no excuses for the tardiness this week. Nothing new to add here so sit back and enjoy the latest installment in Avatar: The Tale of Harry. Book 2: Equality.**

 **Disclaimer: As always I won nothing related to either of these two great works of fiction.**

 **Chapter 15**

"It's…"

"Er…"

"Well…"

"Um…"

"Are they really that perky in real life I wonder? Or as fine, symmetrical and damn near perfect? Cos if so I wish mine were like that" Luna said with genuine interest and a completely straight face breaking the others from their staring to look at their friend as she began to feel up her own chest. Harry couldn't help but laugh at how Luna's usual bluntness and openness had helped get them back on track once more.

Team Avatar was standing in the center of Fire Fountain City, where they had gathered for their recon that evening, staring at the city's namesake. Problem was, that there was one glaring difference from what Harry had expected to see in the center of the city. Instead of a shirtless and ripped Ozai bellowing fire into the air from his mouth and clenched fists, it was a shirtless, toned and incredibly lifelike Hermione statue. She had her right arm raised in victory with a flame shooting out from her clenched fist, a determined look on her face, her crown prominent on her head. Her fist was the only source of flame that would give the the city its name. However, the most eye catching aspect of the statue was her breasts.

Hermione had commissioned the statue to be entirely shirtless, just like the one of Ozai, and the artist had sculpted her breast to be a perfect representation of the female form. They were full, perky and symmetrical with no hint of sagged and perfectly sculpted nipples with detailed areolas. The artist had also made sure to represent Hermione as a toned and physically fit, complete with a full but muted six pack of abs that fit a feminine form.

The crown that the statue wore looked like a ring of flames and was the same as the one that Harry had seen in her various speeches, the Crown of the Eternal Flame as it was known as. The Flame of Enlightenment medal, the highest honor in the Fire Utopia, hung around Hermione's neck as always, this time nestled between her breasts. Still, though, it was the bare breasts that caught everyone's attention and had most men, and women gawping, at it as they passed it, just as Team Avatar was doing now.

"I only ask because in all the porn I have seen, as well as looking at my own and seeing other girls in the communal showers in the various Air Temples and the Air House at the Academy, I have never seen such a perfect pair of tits." Luna continued as contemplative as before. "I mean it has to be physically impossible to have such a perfect set of tits. The closest I have seen is Princess Fleur's and even those had begun to sag a little by the time I finally got a good look at them. I mean yeah there are surgeries nowadays to augment one's tits to be bigger, smaller, or more perfectly symmetrical but still even the best surgeon in the world could craft a pair like this sculptor did."

"I think that's the point Luna, thanks for the unnecessary visuals." Ginny said the first to recover while the guys continued to ponder Luna's words.

"You're welcome." Luna replied cheerfully.

"Hey boys minds out of the gutter." Ginny called out to the three males in their group, ignoring Luna's cheerfulness. "You too Luna. Anyway seeing as it is a sculpture and he or she is making it on the orders of a megalomaniac with a very fragile mind and who thinks she is superior to all because of her birth and intelligence, then the sculptor would have to make it as perfect as possible. Before we set off for the Fire Utopia, I spoke with a few of the firebenders from the Academy who may have known Hermione's abilities and form, alas all the girls in our year perished at the hands of the Death Eaters and Purists, but a few of the others told me that Hermione was in decent shape from her training but not the physical specimen represented in the statue. One lesbian from the year above even said that of all the girls in the Fire House; Hermione, while not the most unattractive, didn't have a great rack, her words not mine. Of course that was what the girl in question preferred that in a woman so she was a little biased."

"Oh yeah Katie was telling me how she did like her girls to have tits large as hers were a little too small for her own tastes." Luna commented absently as she continued to stare pointedly at the sculpted Hermione's exposed rack. "And I believe she is bi not gay Ginny seeing as she was dating that Cormac bloke for a bit before she dumped his worthless ass when she realized how pompous he was."

"I wasn't talking about Katie." Ginny replied. "She hasn't been seen since just after the Battle of Elemental Academy."

"Oh, then who?" Luna asked.

Harry was just gawping at his fiancé and closest female friend. Were they really having this conversation? He decided he had to move it along a bit as they did have more pressing work to get to. This was a conversation for another day.

"Remember that the Ozai statue was exaggerated as well, according to the historical records I have read." Harry said trying to shift the focus of the conversation away from Hermione's tits. "It was meant more as a rousing symbol of patriotism and to enforce his cult of personality, not to look realistic, so I am not surprised that Hermione is seeking to do the same. A display of raw power and physical perfection to inspire the masses and indoctrinate as many as possible into her cult of personality."

"That would make sense." Neville said with a nod at Harry's words. "Ozai's plan with the statue did work, also he was an arrogant, narcissistic, bastard, just like Hermione, so making a statue of himself looking like the peak of masculinity and male fitness would play to his colossal ego. Hermione ain't that much different from Ozai and in all honesty, it is a trait of many in the Fire Nation. It's why we have had a lot of success in many areas, our drive and passion is second to none, but it has gotten us into just as much trouble as it has helped us, hence why our prison population before Iroh was murdered was the highest per capita. The only thing I'm curious about though is why she opted to be topless? Showing of toned abs, physical fitness and raw power I can understand, but why not add a breast wrap? Why the deliberate nudity?"

"Equality." Ron said after everyone pondered Neville's questions for a moment. Harry and the others looked at Ron so his best friend explained more.

"Think of what drives Hermione and it the justification for all the evil she has wrought upon the Fire Nation?" Ron asked. "She is driven by an insatiable thirst for equality, tolerance and acceptance in all matters. Now while they are all great goals to strive for in the world, Hermione has taken them to the extremes and warped her own concepts of them into something unrecognizable. This is because of her intelligence, education, and personal world view in light of the Purist Movement and her status as a first generation bender. It has gotten to the point that she believes that only her specific views can create such equality, tolerance and acceptance in the world and hasn't realized that she has gone too far."

"Too far is a bit of an understatement." Neville pointed out.

"Very true." Ron agreed with a heavy sigh at the reality of the situation. "Instead of creating the originally noble goals that Hermione probably had when she set herself on this path, she has become the very enemy to equality. She has become what she sought to destroy, an intolerant, totalitarian, bigot who believes that everything has to be her way. Alas Hermione has traveled so far down this path that she cannot see where she started, hence why we are here. Anyway I digressed into a philosophical rambling rather than actually explain what I meant."

"Yeah, that is a topic for another day." Harry pointed out. "Once all this is done and we can analyze it in hindsight."

"Correct, and by much smarter minds than mine." Ron agreed. "Back to what I meant, it is rather obvious why Hermione has had this statue sculpted in the way it has been. Hermione wants everything and everyone to be equal in her version of a utopia and one thing that is unequal in society it the sexualization of the female nipple in comparison to the acceptance of the male nipple. It is considered immodest to be topless or even show excessive cleavage for a female. By contrast, for a male being shirtless is completely acceptable no matter the body type. For fucks sake I'm only wearing a vest right now with no shirt on underneath it and no one cares or ogles my chest."

"I do." Luna piped up happily as she finally stopped staring at the statue of Hermione and shifted her focus to Ron's chest. "I've been a little wet all afternoon despite our earlier hardcore fuck session in the warehouse. However I ain't complaining at the view currently in front of me. I do understand though where you are coming from. Our society has sexualized the female breast in general and the nipple in particular to the point that it is unacceptable to go around public shirtless, though not illegal except in a few of the more conservative Imperial States. Honestly while I wouldn't do it around people I don't know, I have no problem with women who want to free the nipple doing so but they really can't bitch and moan about guys and girls staring and ogling their tits, especially if they are a really nice set. Tits have been so sexualized over the years that they have become ingrained in our culture, it will take years to change it."

"That's true." Ron said with a nod. "You're not going to forcibly change people's minds overnight or expect the idea to become acceptable by the majority of society without some time to adjust. It will take decades at least to rework the cultural association with nipples and sex, if it can be managed it at all."

"Girls should know from playing with themselves how sensitive our nipples are and how arousing it is to play with them." Luna said with a nod and a glance to the bare breasted statue. "All power to them and their motives, it is their right to choose to expose their breasts in public, but it won't do shit for a long time other than cause guys and girls to stare at them. Now as to Ron's earlier statement, I can see exactly where he is coming from and really we should have expected it from someone as narcissistic as Hermione."

Harry and the others were once again just staring at Luna and her candid bluntness. That was why only Ron had interrupted her or even realized that she had finished speaking until a few moments after she was finally done talking about tits.

"Anyway let's stop staring at tits and go find the Combustion Room bar that that corporal told us about." Ron said turning from the statue.

Harry couldn't agree more as he too turned and followed Ron towards the Enforcers of Enlightenment station. The others quickly fell into step with them as they headed off from the central square of the city, the statue of Hermione to their backs.

They soon came to the Enforcers of Enlightenment headquarters and station. It was the old police station for the Royal Police, only instead of the old Fire Nation symbol it had a the new Fire Utopia one. Next to the Fire Utopia emblem was an emblem of open book covered by a pair of crossed swords and a clenched fist that Harry assumed was the crest of the Enforcers of Enlightenment.

They continued walking past the station. A block down from the station was The Combustion Room on the far corner of the block, next to an ally that Harry could tell would be a haunt for thugs like the Blades late at night. Harry had to stifle a laugh at the convenient location of the bar near what passed for a police station in Hermione's oppressed nation. The Enforcers wouldn't have to transport the drunks and other incidents that arose from alcohol far for booking and likely much more unpleasant experiences given the quality of people who Hermione recruited to enforce her tyrannical laws.

Despite it not being evening yet, the bar was already relatively noisy. Harry admired the building, it was old Fire Nation architecture made of wood and thin walls. The bar on the first floor and like rooms to let above, a classic tavern that looked out of place in Hermione's heavily industrialized and oppressed version of the Fire Nation. A sign above the door proclaimed the establishment as The Combustion Room. It also claimed that it was the best bar on the island and the home of the Combustion Bomb. Next to the sign was the mark a combustionbender would have tattooed on their forehead in order to unlock their unique and rare bending talent. Ron stopped them near the tavern and looked around to make sure that they were alone, which they fortunately were.

"Right, before we go in I say we split up and enter a few minutes apart from each other." Ron said and Harry couldn't help but agree. They would attract less attention and gather more information then they would as a group.

"What's the plan?" Ginny asked.

"Harry and Neville go in first." Ron said with a smile as he began to explain his plan, likely one he had been thinking about ever since he had learned about the bar. "Find a corner table with a lot of space and hole up there for the night. Workers should come over when the place fills up a bit and join you because of the available seats. Ply them with alcohol and find out what you can once they have drunk enough to lower their inhibitions. Then I will enter and sit at the bar facing the door so as to keep a watch at who enters the bar. With my appearance and weapons, I'll look like hired muscle and likely not be bothered unless someone wishes to hire me for my services or others who think I am of their ilk show up and join me. Also I can hold my liquor the best here, and no one bring up the incident in Ba Sing Se, that was cactus juice and that fucks with everyone."

"But it was so much fun." Luna pouted. "We went to the lesbian bar and woke up in a drunk tank. Harry had use his influence to get us out without any charges."

"Yes and you two are banned from the Western Lower Ring." Harry pointed out. "Next time I will leave you two in the local jail for a few days."

"You're no fun sometimes." Luna said with mock annoyance.

"Anyway." Ginny said bringing them back to the important task at hand. "What about me and Luna?"

"You and Luna come last, about 10 minutes after me, and find a table out of the way." Ron said getting back into planning mode. "I don't particularly want guys buying you two drinks or chatting you up as that could cause too much attention we don't want to draw tonight. You two will already draw some attention regardless because as much as Hermione will try to ensure that the workforce is balanced along gender lines, there are a few things that men are just biologically more suited for. As an industrial town most of the labors will be men. Plus this is a tavern so expect it to be at least 60% male at the very least."

"Aw I love it when you worry." Luna said giving Ron a light kiss that would have gotten a lot deeper had Luna not pulled away given the impending mission. "But don't worry, Ginny and I will pretend to be a couple."

"We will?" Ginny asked clearly surprised at Luna's words. "You know I have no issues with homosexuality Luna but I'm a straight gall, its only cock for me and only Harry's at that."

Harry blushed a little taken aback by his fiancé's words but happy at them nonetheless.

"I already told someone you were my ex." Luna said with a smile at Ginny. "Though no name or description of course. Besides, Ginny would you rather pretend to be my girlfriend or have a bunch of dumb, drunk and horny guys hitting on you while you fiancé, who just so happens to be the Avatar, is there and may not take it well. Plus if one triggers you we could have another large mess to clean up. You got lucky last time, none of us want you to push your luck any more than absolutely necessary."

"You know as well as I do that I don't believe in triggers or microaggressions or anything like that." Ginny said firmly. "At least not in the loose and watered downed definition that Hermione and her ilk use. By the time I lost it in Jang Hui I had gotten sick of men, and in one case a woman, saying they would rape me and make me into a sex slave just because they were the ones who held the power here. Any self respecting, decent human would have reacted the way I apparently did after hearing the same vulgar shit over and over again."

"I wasn't saying you had a trigger." Luna said with a hint of defense in her voice. "I agree that while there are extremes that can cause a justifiable reaction like yours, if I was there instead of you I would have fucked them up even worse, but yes trigger was the wrong word. A trigger is something innocuous that you cannot control at all. Unfortunately, the word has become too closely associated with those who, along with Hermione, use so called triggers and microaggressions as a crutch to suppress free speech. They use anything that they are opposed too or that offend their delicate sensitivities and small minded view of how the world should be to silence debate on important issues. As a result they cause more harm than good and we end up in the situation we are in now in the Fire Nation if this issue is allowed to fester the way it was allowed to with the Enlightened."

"Thank you Luna." Ginny said with a nod. "Sorry, didn't mean to get angry but ironically because of these assholes and their trigger warnings and bullshit they have managed to make the concept of a trigger warning a trigger of sorts on its own as those of us who support and defend free speech. It makes us feel like our rights are threatened when we hear that phrase because we know that they will use their feelings, often at harsh facts, to suppress free speech."

"Understandable." Harry agreed. "That is what we are here to correct after all. It is something we will have to work on after we are done here but for now let's focus on the mission at hand. Ginny will you follow Luna's idea?"

"You just want to see me with another woman don't you." Ginny smirked causing Harry to go bright red and bluster a little at her words. "Don't worry all men are the same like that. I understand Luna's logic and I will go along with it as it is better than the alternative. Though one thing Luna."

"What?" the airbender asked.

"I'm the dominant one in this relationship." Ginny said looking seriously.

"I wouldn't have it any other way." Luna said taking Ginny's hand much to the surprise of the redhead. "I am a submissive lover after all, just ask your brother. Don't jump dear we have to get into character now while the boys head off into the tavern."

"Let's not ask me and focus on the mission." Ron said ending the conversation. "That is a conversation I will not have with my sister. Though I agree with Luna on the slight change to the plan, it's a good idea. Keep your ears open though and you may get joined by a few females who are also seeking to avoid drunken males."

"So long as they're not like that creepy corporal I don't mind." Ginny said with a hint of anger at the late, lecherous female corporal from Jang Hui.

"Alright good." Ron said with a nod. "Harry, Neville off you go I will follow about 10 minutes later and the girls 10-15 minutes after me. Let's get moving, we have information to gather."

Harry just smirked at Ron; his best friend did love to plan and this was a perfect situation to plan for. He and Neville separated from the group and walked calmly to the bar. Without hesitation Harry grabbed the doorknob and twisted. Pushing the door he and Neville entered The Combustion Room.

The tavern was a well lit large room with a well stocked bar along one wall manned by two bartenders, one male and one female, plenty of chairs and tables all over the bar and a fireplace on the opposite wall to the bar. The tattoo of a combustionbender was on the far wall as was the tell tale sparking, popping line of heat that was produced by those who could combustionbend along the wall over the fire place. It had the typical smell of greasy food and stale beer, Harry instantly liked the place. He was surprised that such a place could exist under Hermione's regime, that would have to be the first question they asked once they made a few new friends.

There were about a dozen people, all in groups of 2 or 3, already in the tavern and they paid Harry and Neville no attention as the pair walked in and up to the bar. Once they reached the bar Harry casually leaned on it right in front of the pretty female bartender. Her low cut shirt and amble bosom was clearly there for tips but Harry held her gaze.

"What'll it be 'ansom." The bartender asked in a sweet, practiced, voice and a thick local accent.

"Y'all got any ciders." Harry asked, going for something he enjoyed drinking but wasn't too strong. "I hear this region is known for their cider."

"Wouldn't say we are known for them but we got a few local brews, all we's gots is local drinks." The woman replied with a shrug. "The country being as it as and all. Let's see there the standard cider or ya could go with pear, mixed berry, cinnamon spiced or plum."

"Standard cider." Harry said instantly. "Always preferred the taste of apples."

"Bottle or glass?"

"Bottle will be fine." Harry said with a smile.

"5 herms." The woman replied as she got out a bottle from an ice chest behind here. Harry put a 5 herm note on the counter and she opened the bottle for him. He looked at it and realized it was a local brand he had not tried before, likely because it wasn't exported.

"And what about you?" the bartender asked Neville with a bat of her eyelashes flirtatiously at him.

"Stout if you have any." Neville said with a slight cough. "I'm partial to Simison but I'll take another if you don't have it."

"Course we got it." The woman smiled widely. "It's the only real stout brand around, Simison cornered the market years ago. That will be 5 herms as well."

She proceeded to go to a second ice chest and pulled out a black bottle. Harry had never been a fan of stout finding the taste of roasted hops too bitter for his liking but it was popular in the Fire Nation, especially in the south where there was a large population of expats from the Imperial State of Celt, the birthplace of stout. Neville handed her the money and took the bottle.

The pair thanked the bartender and made their way to a round table in the farthest corner of the bar. Harry sat in the corner so that he got a view of the entire room while Neville sat down next to him. Taking a swig of the cider Harry smiled, it was a good brew. A touch sweet for his liking, he always preferred the crisper ciders, but not sweet enough to be sickly. Looking at the bottle Harry had never heard of the brand, Orchard of Fire, but it was one he would remember for future if the brand was ever exported.

Harry and Neville made idle talk to give off the appearance of a conversation while the bar began to fill up as the work day ended and many of the workers appeared to come straight to the bar. About 5 minutes after they had sat down Ron walked in looking like the hired muscle he was trying to portray. He had removed the bandage on his chest and the edge of the tattoo over his heart was just visible. He sat down at the bar at the far end so that he too could view the door from his stool. As a result his back was too Harry but Harry heard his best friend order a bottle of the local mead. Harry had to keep that in mind for later if he had to have another drink, he didn't want to be impaired in case there was a fight but they needed to have a drink present at all times just to keep up appearances and Harry like mead almost as much as cider.

About 15 minutes after Ron had ordered Ginny and Luna walked in holding hands. They got a few lecherous stares from the men present, and even an approving look from two women at a window table but when Ginny slapped Luna's ass and told her to get them a bottle of nettle wine while she went to find a table near the fireplace, one as far away from the men as possible, the men lost interest in the apparent lesbian couple.

When Luna returned with the bottle and two glasses, she sat down very close to Ginny. Ginny placed a hand on Luna's upper thigh and stroked the bare skin lightly, the way Harry would do to her in a similar situation. Harry had to admit that it was a good act, at least from Ginny's part. Almost as soon as they had poured their glasses the two women from the table by the window got up and went to join Ginny and Luna. One was a tall, broad shouldered, woman who Harry was certain could pummel almost all of them into the floor in unarmed combat while her friend was a lithe, athletic, looking girl. Soon they were all chatting away. He was impressed that they had made contact with a few locals before he and Neville had.

About half an hour later the tavern was starting to get packed as the workers got off for the day and came in for a few drinks. Harry and Neville were talking about some bullshit topic when a voice called to Harry, interrupting the pretend conversation.

"Mind if we join y'all." The voice was deep but not gruff and Harry looked up to see a tall muscular bald man in a red vest and pants with a curved sword at his belt. He had a large detailed dragon tattoo on his chest and flames up his arms, clearly a patriot to the Fire Nation. "Don't mean to disturb you but all the other tables are occupied and y'all have spare room at yours."

"Not at all." Harry said with a smile as he leaned back and gesturing to the table. "Pull up a chair, we're always willing to share our table with newcomers. Your buddies getting your drink or something?"

"Yeah Chong lost a bet to me today so I got free drinks all night." The man said with a grin as he sat down heavily on a chair. "Name's Ozuk by the way, I now it's close to Ozai but my parents weren't the most original and they grew up in the shadow of the former fountain her. What about you two?"

"Vernon." Harry said shaking Ozuk's hand and using his nonbender, Equalist loving, asshole of an uncle's name. "And this is Frank."

"Pleasure to meet y'all." Ozuk said as he shook Neville's hand. "Don't let my size fool you into thinking I'm a dumb brute, been working the forges all my life and well it has its rewards." The latter part was said with a little flexing and a wink at a nearby table of women who pointedly ignored the large man.

"A blacksmith then, well I am always a fan of y'alls work." Harry said with an approving nod.

"What do you two do?" Ozuk asked. "Y'all must be new around here seeing as I've never seen you here before and this place usual caters to locals. Though that's cos her royal highness' laws have made travel hard given the work expectations of every citizen of the Fire Utopia."

The man said the last bit with a hint of irritation that Harry took as a good sign. Before he could respond three more people arrived. One was a tall man with a bit of a paunch who put down a slightly smoking glass in front of Ozuk before sitting next to him. Next was a small, reedy, man with a curved knife at his belt who sat next to Harry and sipped from a tankard of green colored ale, his eyes constantly darting around the room nervously. Lastly a thick set, though not fat but rather muscle, woman without weapons sat down with a bottle of beer.

"Who are your new friends Ozuk?" The woman asked. "Trust you to instantly find someone new in this joint."

"Ying, meet Vernon and Frank." Ozuk said pointing to Harry and Neville in tern. "They're new here and were about to tell us what they are doing for work before you rudely interrupted me. Guys this is Ying, she works at the forge with me as firebender hired to provide heat to help forge the metal and electricity to help power the forge. Then there's Chong who brought me my drink here, he works with the finer aspects of metal work such as hilts and scabbards for nonbenders in the army. Lastly there's Mus. Mus is one of the technicians who makes sure the whole factory runs smoothly."

"I expected most of the people here to be factory workers, soldiers or miners." Harry said as he watched Ozuk introduce his four friends.

"Ain't no miners here." Chong said taking a deep swig of his beverage with a sigh. "All the miners in this area are prisoners serving hard labor sentences at the pleasure of the Empress, which translates to them being worked until they die. Mostly it will be various factory workers and the enlisted men from the nearby military base and prison camp that show up here. Officers will occasionally come to try and get us to sign up for the army but for the most part they just buy us drinks and have fun like the rest of us. This is the best place in town."

"Please, it's the only good place in town." Ying said dismissively. "The other taverns in this city are either shit holes run by the Blades that are dens of gambling, drugs and forced prostitution, or their high end places for the Enforcers of Enlightenment and senior officers. Though the latter ones are also dens of gambling, drugs, and forced prostitution. This is the only joint in town for us regular, hard working folk who don't do nothing wrong."

"Ah ok makes sense." Harry said nodding in understanding. The other places sounded like they should be investigated but alas they didn't have the time, he and Neville had a specific cover to follow. "As for us. Frank here is a sergeant from the capital. His superior doesn't like him cos he's a pureblood firebender with former noble heritage so she sends him on pointless assignments to the eastern islands with a horny captain and his junior officer lover. We met in school, though I had no heart for the military life."

"Yeah I left the service shortly before Iroh was murdered." Ying said with a sigh. Harry was a little surprised to hear a citizen acknowledge the true nature of Iroh's death, another good sign. "Glad I got out when I did as the military now ain't what it once was. Though I wish I was able to fight in either the Liberation of the Northern Water Tribe or the Battle of the Elemental Academy, I hear those were some glorious battles."

"It is too true about the military here." Neville said with a sigh. Harry knew that neither he nor Neville were going to talk about the Battle of the Elemental Academy. "I joined because of Iroh and the Liberation of the Northern Water Tribe and enrolled in officer training. Alas because of my heritage, once Empress Hermione took power I was forced to serve as an enlisted soldier but my sense of duty means that I will stay in at least until my contract is up. I'm a little tired of being sent to inspect abandoned buildings with a pair of love stuck officers who fuck at every opportunity so I'll probably get out as soon as I can. Though I have a feeling that that is later rather than sooner as the Empress has extended all military contracts indefinitely. "

"What about you Vernon?" Mus asked. He had a slightly high pitched weedy voice that grated Harry a bit but he tried to ignore it, there was something about the reedy man that set Harry on edge. "What brings you to this area of the Fire Utopia?"

"The scenery." Harry said at once. "After I left the capital I moved to Shu Jing to work as an impoverished artist, training under the guiding eye of one of the Piandao family. When Empress Hermione came to power I was allowed to continue my art, which is shit by the way, because of her laws supporting the arts though I couldn't make more than a set price on my work. A price that is intentionally set at lower than a female artist of the same skill an experience so as to balance the wage gap. About a year ago I decided to travel a bit, you know see the Eastern Islands and what not, and ended up deciding to come here. This city was once known for its more creative people but I couldn't find any when I got here. I've kept in contact with Frank over the years, so when I heard that he would be in the area I decided it was worth finally checking this joint out."

"Ha-ha yeah art ain't going to make you much." Ozuk said with a laugh. "But that deliberate wage gap, .86 of a herm for men to 1 herm earned by a woman, is common in the Fire Utopia. The wage gap was debunked multiple times by every major economic center in the nation but the Empress believes it is real so it is real. Anyway, enough of my brief education in economics from some pissed off, former econ professor from the capital who was sent to the forge to mines because she proved that the wage gap was bullshit, and on a charge of internalized misogyny. Seeing as this is your first time here, let's get a round of combustion bombs on Chong."

Ying raised a fist with a smirk at the unfortunate man and sent 6 small fire flickers into the air to signal the bar. In short order a female waitress who Harry hadn't seen before appeared with 6 glasses of pale yellow liquid and 6 glasses of a syrupy black liquid. Chong told her to put it on his tab with a reluctant sigh. When she left Ozuk turned to them.

"Right Ying will light the black stuff." Ozuk said before he explained the procedure to Harry and Neville. "It's an old, herbal, cough syrup remedy created a few centuries ago that is alcoholic and has no medicinal value these days, other than as a potent liquor. Then you pour this yellow energy drink that looks and tastes like strong piss onto it to put the fire out and then down it in one gulp. That is a combustion bomb my friends."

"Why the fuck not." Harry said with a grin. If it helped them build a rapport with these people then he wasn't going to say no to trying one of these signature drinks.

Ying lit the black liquid then raised her shot glass of yellow energy drink, the other joining her before she poured it onto her burning liquor. Harry followed and then downed the mixture. It was actually pretty good though a little warm for his. Neville coughed at it which caused a light ribbing. Harry smiled he knew that they had built a friendship with these people so now it was time to bring on the drinks.

"Barkeep!" Harry yelled out to the bar, augmenting his voice subtly with a little airbending. "Another round for me and my friends."

Harry then turned to the grinning foursome who had joined them. It was time to cement this new friendship.

"Let's get some drinks down our throats!"

* * *

2 hours and many drinks for the 4 locals later and all the locals were sufficiently tipsy. They had been talking about nonsense and bullshit for the entire time so Harry felt it was time to broach a subject that would give him some insight into the views of the locals in this region of the Fire Nation. By now the tavern was packed and many workers and enlisted soldiers were drunk and enjoying themselves.

"I have to ask." Harry said with a slight, deliberate, hesitation. He and Neville had paced their drinks so they were lightly buzzed but otherwise fine so Harry was confident he could handle himself in a brawl should one occur. "How has a place like this survived in the Fire Utopia? It seems too capitalist for our glorious Empress. We certainly didn't have a place like this when I was living in Shu Jing."

"It keeps us happy." Ozuk said with a slight slur to his words. Over their time together Harry had gathered that he was the leader of the crew and close with Chong and Ying while Mus appeared to be more of a hanger on than a close friend. "When that underage bitch killed Iroh and created the Fire Utopia she nationalized everything in the country. As a result, the powers that be tried to change this place but it has been here for over a century so it was entrenched with the local culture and citizens that we resisted it. As you know, the almighty cunt that rules us with an iron fist likes to change tradition, even if it is a good one, but we all wanted to keep this tavern. The local Enforcers, really just smartened up thugs who actually believe her bullshit whereas the Blades just follow her for the free reign on crime, realized that they may have problems if they just charged in and changed the place into some simple, utilitarian, bar controlled by the government and corrupt as fuck. Wisely, they decided to let it stay as it was rather than risk a massive riot that would cause a lot of death and decimate a key industrial city. Hermione the Cruel's usual policy is to force obedience through violence and death but fortunately a local Chosen was wise enough to see the use of this place and intervened. Course both he and the last owner, a man whose grandfather had built this place, were arrested for treason and publicly executed in the town square, a sight I will not soon forget. The Chosen, the only to be executed for treason, was executed because he did not follow Hermione's orders to crush the city into obedience, the old owner was executed because he wouldn't sell the place. Following his death it was forcibly seized but Hermione decided to keep it as it is, all the profits from this joint go straight to her though."

"Ah so it was a rare concession by her." Neville said grimly. "Though as with everything, one achieved through blood."

"Well it was that or violently suppress and kill an entire workforce so yeah she had to keep it to avoid looking even worse than she already was back when she took power illegally." Ying said darkly. "The cunt may be cruel and oppressive but she has yet to actively wipe out a city just to make a point, especially one of strategical value like Fire Fountain City."

"Isn't what we are talking about considered treason?" Harry asked with fake worry.

"Technically anything that even slightly offends the unnaturally sensitive snowflake of an Empress is fucking treason." Ozuk said angrily. "We have to agree with everything she says and does or face an extremely disproportionate punishment for shit that ain't even a fucking crime. Of course that doesn't stop us all from saying what we think to one another so she has to be selective with her retribution against dissent. Most of us here don't like her or her policies but there's shit we can do when any opposition is met with swift violence, life in the grueling mines, torture, and death if it the opposition was organized in anyway. Leaders and intellectuals who oppose her are executed as soon as they speak out against her in any context, the same for any potential threat to her power from within the government. So far she had claimed at least two internal cabals of loyalists have wanted to remove her and used it to purge her own supporters of any potential threat to her power. Rumor has it that the three members of the Enlightened Council who stayed here with her after she brutally murdered Iroh fled a year ago fearing that she would kill them to assume full power."

"Aren't there 5 other Enlightened?" Harry asked with feigned curiosity. Harry knew full well what had happened to at least one of the 2 Enlightened not mentioned by Ozuk, Warren was currently serving her life sentence in solitary confinement in the deepest hole the Catacombs Prison Complex had.

"The Water Enlightened has never been seen." Chong said with a swig of some strange plum ale he was currently drinking. "Don't even know that Enlightened's gender. No explanation has ever been given on that front. As for the other, the nonbender Enlightened, her name is Warren and she is a former member of the Fire Assembly who was discovered by the Avatar during the Second Purity War. Her arrest and sentence was headline news here for a whole month, until those massive raids occurred. The papers said she had been transferred to Ba Sing Se to serve her life sentence and given that Hermione said as much and never freed her, I assume she is still there."

"Hasn't Warren been replaced?" Neville asked with genuine curiosity. The Enlightened Council, excluding Hermione, had been shrouded in mystery for years with the the identities of all but the Water Enlightened being recent revelations. "Surely they would replace one of their own once that member was imprisoned."

"There were rumors that another nonbender politician had been elevated to replace Warren." Ying said with a nod. "A woman from a small island off the south west cost, just withing the boarders of the nation and the most isolated population in the Fire Utopia."

"You don't mean Hirono do you?" Neville said aghast.

"You know of her?" Ying asked surprised.

"My father and grandmother both served on the Fire Assembly." Neville admitted. "I wasn't lying about the noble blood, it's why I'm the lowest of the low in my division despite my rank. My gran spoke of her though, she hated her. One of the elected members who ran on a far left populist ticket. Close ally with Warren and Corbyn but not openly seditious at the time of the coup if I recall. Famous for always trying to force through litigation that would make any male suspected of any form of sexual assault on a woman guilty until he proves his innocence beyond a reasonable doubt. A complete insult to due process that Zuko and his descendants installed in this nation."

"Correct." Chong said with a nod. "She was a sympathizer but was like Sanders, an idealistic fool with some extremely undemocratic views. That was likely how she survived the Avatar's truth seeing, if the declassified reports of that Assembly session are to be believed. She was never a member of the Enlightened and as a nonbender she wasn't a Chosen so she slipped through the cracks."

"What happened to her?" Harry asked. He didn't remember a representative called Hirono during that session but he had been more focused on the fact that they uncovered and Enlightened, a Chosen, 9 sworn Purists and a fucking Death Eater who was not helping them during that now infamous session.

"She persuaded Hermione to agree to her prized legislation." Ying said shaking her head. "Now in this nation, all women who report an form of sexual assault are automatically deemed truthful, no matter how flimsy, uncorroborated, or lacking in evidence their story is. All men, unless they are men who support Hermione, then they get a free pass, are assumed guilty until proven innocent in a system stacked against them. It's a disgusting mockery of the system and has been abused by Hermione's loyal subordinates to eradicate men she has seen as a threat to her. As for Hirono herself, she was up for elevation to the Enlightened but she was extremely popular amongst the radical feminist wing of Hermione's government and Hermione saw that as a threat. So in the last purge about a year ago, Hermione purged the feminists, accusing them of hate speech and sedition against her. Hirono and other prominent leaders were summarily executed in front of other high ranking members of the government as a warning to them to not get to popular. Most of the feminists loyal to Hirono were sent to labor camps or the Boiling Rock to serve life sentences. In addition, all of Hirono's policies that Hermione adopted have been rescinded as polluted laws made by an enemy trying to exert influence over the Empress. It has stopped one of the many abuses of the system and now actual survivors of sexual assault are not being harmed by laws that do more harm than good due to exploitation. Now no faction within the capital challenges Hermione and she has decided that she is the sole Enlightened in the world. Honestly, her court is a complete fucking mess. If the Avatar and the World Leaders ever do manage to free us, it will take months, if not years, to untangle that web of lies, greed, politics and deception."

"This was all published in detail in the state run news media paper called _The Enlightened Truth_." Ozuk said with a sneer. "An ironic name for a propaganda rag that publishes lies and glorified profiles of Hermione."

"What about the Enforcers and the Chosen?" Harry asked. "I had the good fortune to not run into many of them, or the secretive FUICEE, while in Shu Jing."

"You are very lucky indeed Vernon." Ozuk said with a note of respect in his voice. "The Enforcers are basically as fanatical as the Chosen but are ineligible for that vaunted and elite status as they are not first generation benders, thus lower on what Hermione calls the 'Progressive Stack'. Lucky for us, the Enforcers won't arrest a lowly worker who is needed as a cog in the massive, nationalized, industrial complex just because he disagrees with the Empress but they will go after a union boss who says something bad about the bitch. The Chosen who aren't part of Hermione's personal bodyguard in the capital are the roaming judges and executors of her laws. They are only called in for the worst of the worst and almost all are greedy and corrupt, using their status as the new nobility to treat us the way the Purists in the old nobility used to treat us. The FUICEE, they will come and get those who are accused of treason so they will be the ones who focus on any suspected rebels or on people who Hermione cannot publicly move against via the Enforcers or illegally via the Blades. Strange disappearances to remote gulags, places worse than the forced labor camps, is the fate that awaits anyone on Director Arabella's so called lists of dissident. That is truly a nightmare and of all the groups, it the FUICEE who we all fear the most. Now that there's a new and competent group out there opposing Hermione and exposing her evil to the citizens, the FUICEE will focus on them."

"The LFTM?" Neville asked with feigned confusion.

"We shouldn't talk about them." Mus said with a wary glance around. "Any talk of them is actual treason these days, not just a bunch of drunkards letting of steam after a day of work who the authorities know will go back to work in the morning regardless. We'll be sent to the slave camps for mentioning them, actually supporting them is a potential death sentence. Besides we hardly know these two, no point risking them being FUICEE agents and getting our asses worked to death in a labor camp or a fucking gulag, or in Ying's case raped to death in one of them fancy whorehouses for those loyal to Hermione and with significant positions of authority. You know, the kind who are looking at really long prison sentences if the Avatar ever comes here and overthrows the Empress."

"Oh lighten up Mus." Ying said playfully flicking a nut that was in a dish that had come with the latest round of drinks at the reedy man. "We can talk about the LFTM so long as we condemn their actions as terrorists. We do so and now we are in the clear."

"They attacked that ore factory out in Jang Hui didn't they?" Harry asked with what he thought was a good amount of believable curiosity.

"Yep and slaughtered 49 soldiers by their own account, which has to be taken with a grain of salt, and according to Hermione more than twice as many civilians." Mus replied seriously. He wasn't as drunk as the others, a fact that put Harry on edge. Silently he retracted his boot to see who was telling the truth of their 4 new friends. "Killed 'em all in an act of terror that has crippled the industry in our fair nation."

"From what I heard they stopped the pollution of the river and freed the floating city there." Chong said after a moment. "Though I think they could have done so without all the death, which only hurts their cause in my opinion. We are horrible oppressed here and have little to no freedoms but killing isn't the answer. Given the usual lies Hermione sprouts, I am more inclined to believe that they didn't kill any civilians. Course, it won't be right here until the Avatar comes to free us but with the blockade I cannot see a way for him to save us."

"I heard they slaughtered all the innocent civilians who got in their way." Mus stated, again claiming that civilians had died at Jang Hui. Harry instantly knew the man was lying from his truth seeing but even without that he knew it was wrong given the fact that he had been on the front lines of that battle.

"No civilian died in the fight." Harry said firmly but not adamantly so as to preserve his cover. "I heard their broadcasts afterwards from where I was at the time. Then I met someone from Jang Hui and he confirmed that the LFTM actually healed them, cleaned the river, and drove away the soldiers who constantly beat, raped and even occasionally killed them."

"They sound fine to me." Ying said with a nod. "The current military is just like that, at least those who believe the crap the bitch Empress sprouts are, they exploit their authority for their own needs, be it lust, greed or both. Because they support the almighty cunt their actions are immune from prosecution unless they are accused by someone higher up the food chain. Yeah most of the people here aren't going to be that bad as it is a large and industrious city so we get all sorts but a place like Jang Hui with its singular importance would only have the loyalist there, at least when it came down to anything of value to the Empress."

"Yeah I say power to them." Ozuk said raising his tankard and downing it in one go. "And if people on both sides who chose to fight die in battle, then they die. Rebellions ain't often bloodless after all. At least they are actually doing something unlike any other resistance leaders. Hopefully the Avatar hears about this and comes here to aid them."

"I have a feeling that the Avatar already knows and is making plans as we speak to come and free the Fire Nation from under Hermione's boot." Harry said with a knowing smile. "He's not a man that will sit around when injustice in the world is going on, at least according to the news reports I read during the Second Purity War."

"Well I think they are all murders and terrorists who are killing innocents in the process." Mus said firmly, doubling down on his belief in front of his friends. "No matter how noble their cause is, they should still be arrested and executed for their heinous crimes. Hermione is an illegitimate ruler who deserves to be in chains, but terrorism is not the way. Anyway I'm off to take a piss, that last beer is making its presence known and I feel that it is time to break the seal."

Harry knew the man was lying about the innocents and that Hermione was illegitimate and should be in chains. Using an old airbending breathing technique, Harry calmed and centered himself in preparation for a confrontation. He had had a bad feeling about Mus all night, a feeling he had last had around Peter, and knew that something was about to happen. Whatever it was, Harry knew that it wasn't going to be good.

When Mus didn't return 10 minutes after Harry had seen the reedy man enter the men's room, Harry knew that he had snuck out to alert the authorities. The man was an elephant rat and Harry should have known from the start. Now innocents would likely get hurt, possibly even killed, because he had failed to notice the threat at the table. Whatever the extent of Mus' loyalty to Hermione's regime was, Harry would make sure that when the dust settled, the man's name was on the list of criminals that an international tribunal would need top punish for actions taken during Hermione's reign.

It didn't take long for Harry to be proven right as less than 5 more minutes after he had sworn to see Mus punished no matter how long it too, the man was clearly as sneaky as Peter, and the door burst open and 20 Enforcers of Enlightenment barged into the bar. They wielded their studded truncheons and weren't shy in viciously applying them to any patron who got in their was as they pushed into the bar. At the head of the group was a man with captain's insignia on his sleeves.

"We are looking for two newcomers to Fire Fountain City, an artisan called Vernon and a now dishonorably discharged former army sergeant called Frank." The man bellowed quieting the room other than the moans of a few who had taken a truncheon to the face, one such man taking the captain's truncheon to his face again as he tried to rise, leaving the poor drunk unconscious on the floor of the tavern. "At least that is the names they are currently going by but I assume they are false but we have descriptions of them from a reliable source. Whoever they are, they are under arrest for treason against the Fire Utopia. If you scum fuckers stay out of our way and point them out to us, none of you will be arrested alongside them. Though I can't promise your safety."

"On who's fucking authority." A slurred voice shouted and Harry noticed Ron get up from his seat at the bar and stagger over to the captain, a tankard sloshing beer in his hand as he stumbled drunkenly into the middle of the tavern.

"On the authority of Empress Hermione the Savior." He said as Ron got in the captain's face, deliberately spilling a portion of his drink on the now irate captain. "Now move aside scum and let us do our legal job. We are her Enforcers of Enlightenment, we make sure that her enlightened laws that preserve equality in the Fire Utopia are upheld by any means necessary."

"Equality!" Ron drunkenly laughed. Harry had seen Ron wasted and knew that his best friend was acting but it was a good act. "If she really believed in that word then she wouldn't suppress free speech. She wouldn't imprison or kill those who oppose her views. She wouldn't execute her perceived enemies without a fair trail or due process of law. That ain't equality bitch, that's tyranny. That fucking cunt created the LFTM, whether she thinks so or not."

"Where are you from." The captain said as he parted Ron's vest with his truncheon and looked at the tattoo that Harry knew was on Ron's chest. "Water Tribe I see. Nothing but a polar peasant then, a hired merc who was her when the Empress liberated us from the tyranny of the Firelords and can't return home, not that anyone would want to live in the uncivilized polar wastes."

"Yeah you going to arrest a guy for having some ink from his civilized homeland." Ron said and Harry knew that Ron was very angry at the insults the captain had just leveled against the Water Tribes.

"No but I can and will arrest you for supporting a false government that oppresses its own citizens and doesn't follow an Enlightened leader, that's what your tattoo says to me." The captain said with a smirk. "The Empress's jurisdiction is global. So now you are going to be arrested for treason as well. I'm going to enjoy sodomizing you with this truncheon before we hand you over to the royal interrogators before you are burned alive."

"So I can't honor my ancestor, if I do this closeted faggot will rape me with is truncheon and then see me tortured and brutally executed." Ron said loudly to the whole bar, all of whom were paying rapt attention to the exchange. "Well that does, I'm fed up with all this bullshit, I'm joining the Liberation From Tyrants Movement. I suggest any here who wants true freedom and equality returned to the Fire Nation to stand up and fight for it. The almighty cunt in power cannot be possibly kill all her citizens. If she does then the world will have no choice but to come here and crush her for genocide. Remember, we the people have the power."

"The world doesn't care for these pieces of shit." The captain said with a sneer at a swaying Ron and getting ready to use his truncheon on the man he thought was just a drunk loudmouth. "The other nations will soon have their own enlightened leaders, under Hermione the Savior of course, like we do. Stand still you drunk fucker and maybe I will arrest you peacefully."

"Yeah that ain't going to happen bitch." Ron said suddenly stopping his swaying and speaking calmly without a hint of drunkenness. Too late the captain realized his mistake in underestimated. "Cos it has been a while since I engaged in a good old fashioned tavern brawl. Fight dirty and go for the face."

With that Ron drained the beer, dropped the tankard loudly on the floor, and grabbed the lapels of the captain's pristine uniform. Rearing his head back Ron savagely head butted the startled captain right in the face, the crunch of the captain's nose breaking audible to the entire bar. As the man dropped to the floor like a limp sack of potatoes, the tavern burst into utter chaos.

 **Again sorry that this is late, I will try to get back on time next week. Also sorry that this is so long, there was just a lot more to add when I edited it than expected. Next chapter should be significantly shorted and will be full of non stop action.** **A** **s usual, keep letting me know what you think of this story in the reviews and any questions asked in reviews or PMs to me will be answered at the start of next week's chapter when it is released, hopefully on time. Until next week.**

 **Stringdog**


	16. Chapter 16

**Here is the 16th chapter of Book 2. Sorry this is late, real life is starting to catch up with me so expect a few delays in the weeks to come. Nothing else to add here so sit back and enjoy the latest installment in Avatar: The Tale of Harry. Book 2: Equality.**

 **Disclaimer: As always I won nothing related to either of these two great works of fiction.**

 **Chapter 16**

Ginny and Luna had been enjoying their nettle wine and conversation with the actual lesbian couple who had joined them at the start. The girls had introduced themselves Mya, the lithe one, and Azriella, the butch one. They all talked about the laws on homosexuality in the Fire Nation and then under Hermione in the Fire Utopia as both Ginny and Luna were not well versed on them given their limited time on the archipelago.

The Fire Nation of the 100 years war had been very homophobic and Sozin had actually criminalized it with a 20 year prison sentence for anyone caught engaging in homosexual activity with a potential death sentence for those who were caught in the act of male homosexual sex. However, Zuko reversed the policies and legalized it with all the necessary rights afforded to straight citizens in the first year of his reign. Zuko would reveal later in life in his autobiography that Azula had been bisexual but it was less a physical attraction to other women or men and more that his sister just got off at being the master over someone regardless of their gender. Since then the Fire Nation had always held gay rights as a protected category and as far as the world was concerned they were equals in all facets of the law.

Naturally, when Hermione had taken over, she declared that homosexuals weren't equal at all under the laws of the Firelords and set about correcting this with her own views on it. She had done this after having not spoken with anyone in the gay community according to Azriella, who had been a local leader and said that there was no discrimination based on sexual orientation under Iroh.

Now, though, under Hermione, she had mandated that gays hold authority positions regardless of competence. She had also forced those who had spiritual or religious objections to homosexuality to incorporate gays in violation of their conscience or as Hermione put it 'lack of one' so that all aspects of society respected gay rights. Religion had been one of the many protected categories established by Zuko that was instantly stripped of that status by Hermione, the same had been done with men being a protected class under Iroh.

It had been a shame, according to Azriella, as 50 years ago, during the reign of Firelord Izumi, the Firelord and the Avatar, herself bisexual, had called a meeting between the most conservative religious leaders, who had ancient religious and legitimate spiritual objections to homosexuality, and with the gay community leaders and hashed out a compromise to appease both sides of the debate. While the deal had required some sacrifices on both sides, it was acceptable to all and praised internationally as finally striking the right balance between two immutable characteristics that were perpetually at odds with one another. Alas Hermione had voided it in favor of squashing the religious rights of those who preached things contrary to her beliefs and had had all their leaders arrested and executed for treason because they had different opinions to her own.

The girls had just begun their second bottle of nettle wine, the locals drinking more than Ginny and Luna, and Ginny had gotten the impression that the ladies didn't care much for Hermione as she forced her views on them in the expectation that the LGBT community would support as a block and not a collection of individuals capable of making their own decisions when the Enforcers of Enlightenment walked in. As soon as Ron got into the captain's face Ginny groaned.

"What's the matter?" Azriella asked Ginny with a perplexed look on her face.

"That idiot getting in the captain's face is my brother." Ginny groaned knowing exactly what direction this evening was going to go in.

"And my fiancé." Luna added happily causing both girls to turn and gawk at her. "Oh yeah probably shouldn't have added that. Yeah we aren't a couple, though I do swing both ways, this was just a cover but it's about to be blown by my sometime moronic fiance. Just give it a moment."

Before the couple could say anything about Luna's remarks, Ron proceeded to head butt the captain and knock him out.

"See." Luna said happily before leaping up with a little airbending onto the table further shocking their new friends given the rarity of airbenders in the Fire Utopia and yelling at the top of her impressive lungs so as to be heard above the sudden chaos. "Fight tyranny, fight oppressors, restore what this nation once was. Join us in the LFTM and free ourselves from the shackles that Hermione the Cruel has chained us with. Restore the Firelords and the rule of law to the Fire Nation. That cunt cannot kill the masses that she oppresses and she knows it."

Luna proceeded to add to the chaos by sending a powerful blast of air into the Enforcers, scattering them like nine pins. Ginny just sighed and apologized to their new friends before standing and pulling out the hunting knife concealed at her belt. She preferred her sais but she had lost one in Jang Hui and wasn't adept at fighting with just one of them. Besides, after her episode she had grown more comfortable with the blade and more attached to it after what she had done with it, though as a hunter she could already wield it without much problem. Ginny hurried into the fray to see if Ron needed any help.

* * *

Ron didn't. After Ron had knocked out the captain his second in command had tried to punch him in the face. Ron had caught the clumsy punch in his fist in his hand, twisted savagely to break the man's forearm and retaliated with a sharp blow to the man's neck sending him down for the fight. By that point the patrons had gotten in on the barroom brawl on both sides of the situation, as well as settling their own grudges.

Ron had to duck a beer bottle aimed at him by the male bartender who appeared to be a loyalist to Hermione, or he just didn't like Ron. Before Ron could counter someone had leapt over the bar and into the man sending them crashing into the expensive drinks on the back shelves. It was chaos and Ron was right in the center of it with a manic grin on his face.

An Enforcer lunged at him with a knife. Ron sidestepped the surprisingly good thrust and caught the man's arm before breaking it with a single move, disarming the Enforcer. Ron then slamming his head into the bar knocking him out and cracking the bar in the process, ignoring as the Enforcer slunk limply to the trashed floor.

Ron looked up to see that the fight had begun to spill into the street as the few Enforcers still standing had begun to retreat out of the bar and call for help while the workers had run off into the night shouting support or hate towards the LFTM and riling up a city clearly already on edge after years of oppression.

It was a clusterfuck that Ron knew would turn into a riot before the night was out. He hadn't really planned on that and it would mean innocents would die in the ensuing violence but in the end it would be an embarrassment for Hermione, whose laws made the chances of a riot possible, and a rallying cry for those who opposed her, especially if those opposed to her could win and reclaim the city. As the bar began to become less crowded Ron noticed a few of the benders had started to send fire balls at people, that wasn't going to end well given the flammability of alcohol. There was no doubt in Ron's mind that the bar would burn down tonight.

Ron ducked a chair aimed at his head by a factory worker that struck someone behind Ron who was likely the intended target. Before Ron could retaliate the worker was blasted back and through one of the few remaining tables by a second jet of air from Luna. Her first attack one had just fueled the chaos, now she was being selective in her attacks so as to knock out the most aggressive fighters without killing anyone.

By now Ginny was in the thick of it as well and Ron saw her stab an Enforcer in the side before viciously ripping the hunting knife out of him. The man had a girl by the throat and was dragging her out a look of lust in his eyes so Ron couldn't blame Ginny for the savagery of her attack. The Enforcer screamed and let go of the girl as Ginny ripped the knife out and he fell to the ground clutching his side as he bled out. That was when Ron noticed one of the last standing Enforcers who was still on the bar preparing a lightning bolt to strike his sister.

"Hey cocksucker, think fast!" Ron yelled at the man before grabbing a bottle and throwing it at the Enforcer. The man turned in time to get a face full of bottle and send the bolt wildly up into the ceiling, sending a portion of it crashing down onto a few patrons.

Ron didn't give the man a chance to recover and charged at him. As the Enforcer was whipping his bleeding and wet face when Ron tackled him at full speed. The force of Ron's momentum lifted the man up and took both of them through the front window. Both of them crashed into the street and Ron ignored the minor cuts on his arms that the glass caused as he rolled and popped up drawing his machete as he did so. As the Enforcer rose a look of hate and murder in his eyes at Ron, Ron swung his machete. Before the Enforcer knew what had happened, Ron had taken his head clean off, sending it rolling down the street and a fountain of blood into the air from the stump of the man's neck.

Turning from the lifeless body Ron looked out over the city. It had already burst into a riot if the several pillars of smoke were any indication of the situation that Ron had just caused. Clearly the oppression had been great here and with a slave labor camp nearby Ron had a feeling that many had loved ones who had been wrongfully arrested by Hermione's forces. By now every able bodied man and woman was running out of their houses and into the streets adding to the riot and the chaos that the city was descending into. Already several buildings were on fire. Ron had read of the Great Ba Sing Se Riot after the assassination of the Earth Queen but he never imagined he would see something similar. Ron was torn from his thoughts when he heard a scream from an alley across the street and ran to check it out.

In the alley, a man was standing over the body of one of the many worked from the bar, a bloody parang clutched in his hand. He turned when Ron entered and grinned sadistically at Ron.

"Looks like I'm gonna get me another kill tonight." The man said with a cruel laugh and a very thick accent that Ron associated with the criminal underbelly of the world. "My blade hungers for the blood of traitors and you are one of 'em. Prepare to die motherfucker."

"I take it you are one of the Blades I've heard so much about." Ron said noting the street tough look of the man. "I must say, I ain't impressed."

"I am and you will be when I kill you with lady steel here." The Blade replied with a sinister grin as he flicked the blood soaked blade at Ron. "We help the Empress when there's killing needed and you look like you're in need of killing. This riot is perfect for us to ensure that all of her enemies are killed with no questions asked. I'm looking forward to the nice reward her authorities will pay me for your head,"

"Well let's make this interesting then." Ron said with a smirk as he sheathed his machete and drew his hunting knife to show that he was not afraid to use a smaller blade than the scum standing in front of him. "But you should know that I'm a member of the LFTM so it will be your blood spilt today if you chose to attack me."

"A fighter who is willing to test his blade work against a master, how interesting." The thug sneered. "Your confidence won't save you today though. I will be rewarded greatly for killing you if you truly are one of the traitorous LFTM. You do look like you know how to handle that blade, good, I like a challenge. Keeps me on edge and sharp, just like my steel."

With that he ran at Ron. Ron followed suit and ran at the psycho in front of him. As he neared the other man, Ron jumped left and then used the wall to push himself off it, gaining more height in the process. Twisting his body so that he was perpendicular to the thug and while still in the air stabbed down at the surprised thug. Ron's hunting knife entered the murderer's neck at a downward angle and Ron ripped it out as fast as possible before he landed behind the man facing his back to complete his acrobatic leap. The Blade member had stopped shortly after being stabbed and stuttered a few steps before he fell flat on his face, dead before he hit the ground.

Ron quickly switched the knife to his off hand and drew the one handed machete again with his right hand. He wasn't as proficient as Harry or Ginny at duel wielding but he could hold his own and was better than the others when it came down to using two blades of different lengths. Ron turned to head back to the tavern to see if his friends were okay. There was little they could do about the riot, it had clearly been building long before they arrived, and they had just provided the catalyst for it. What he could do was help these people free themselves from Hermione's reign of terror, they all could.

* * *

As soon as the captain had bend dropped by Ron and the chaos began, the 3 people at their table leapt up in unison.

"Fucking Mus must have snitched on y'all when that elephant rat disappeared." Ozuk snarled as he drew sword, cutting down a firebender who was charging at him in the process, likely using the chaos to settle an old score. "I always found him a little odd, he lived better than his station and never had to do backbreaking and dangerous manual labor. Don't worry, we'll protect you. I assume that most of what y'all said to us wasn't true."

"Our names and vocations aren't" Harry agreed as he drew his own swords. "But our views aren't. I am the founder of the LFTM, we founded it when we liberated the dragons a few weeks back right after sneaking into the country. The cunt in charge of this nation was trying to use them as tools of oppression and war against her own citizens in order to keep y'all in line. That was when we realized we had to do something to undermine her."

"And Jang Hui?" Ying asked taking a fighting stance for defensive firebending.

"We went there to see if the factory had been rebuilt and found it worse than when Aang had visited it back in the 100 year war." Neville said, his finger sparking with electricity as he built up a charge for an attack. "So we liberated it too and cleaned up the river. We had to broadcast our message so Hermione, while she could refute it, couldn't do anything against the citizens there as retribution or to blame us if the people knew what had happened. The factory had the required equipment to achieve that."

"I take it that the airbender chick and the guy who started this are buddies of yours." Chong said as he hurled a bottle at an unsuspecting Enforcer, smashing him in the side of the head and knocking him out.

"And the girl who just stabbed that Enforcer." Harry said watching Ginny down an Enforcer who had a look of rape and lust in his eyes.

"Good on her." Ying said as the trio walked forward as the bar began to clear, the brawl spilling out into the city. "That fucker has arrested several of my female friends, all young and pretty, on trumped up charges so he and his buddies can gang rape them for days. Then they just throw them back to us broken and damaged beyond repair, if they survived the gang rape that is. Its fucking sick."

"She's my fiancé." Harry said with pride as he watched Ron tackle an Enforcer that had been preparing an attack on Ginny out of the window. "You should have seen her in Jang Hui. Took out 7 would be rapists in half a minute with just the knife that is currently in her hand."

"Damn, sounds like my kinda gal." Ying said with an approving note in her voice. As she spoke Ginny dodged another attack and stabbed the would attacker in the armpit before Luna blasted him back through the bar. Harry knew that that Enforcer was not going to be getting up anytime soon.

By this point the tavern was a lot less busy and a complete write off. A few small fires burned, spread by the spilt alcohol. Various firebenders were trying to put out as there was a lot of spilt alcohol around to fuel the flames but Harry could tell that it was a futile effort. About a dozen of the 20 enforcers had gone down in the fight, some dead or dying but most wounded and in no state to resume the fight. In addition Harry could see at least 14 patrons on the floor but couldn't tell their fates.

"I'm sorry this has had to happen." Harry said to their new friends with genuine remorse. "We only wanted to gather information then see what to do to help the city, not start a fucking riot."

"Don't apologize." Ozuk said shaking his head at Harry. "This has been building for 5 years, ever since that cunt took power illegally while the rest of the world watched and waited to see if the Avatar would defeat Voldemort. Most of the people here are fed up of the oppressive regime that Hermione created under the justification of forcing her version of equality upon us. We can't advance in work, there's no competition so no innovation in technology, it's all what she approves. We have to work for minimal pay that is graded due to past discrepancies based on disproved data. All the while there are various groups allied with the Empress who actively execute her laws and enrich themselves by doing so. Some, like the low level military personnel, are for the most part are just following orders but the senior officers and NCOs are die hard loyalists to her cause or their sadistic fucks enjoying the power entrusted upon them to satisfy their twisted desires in the name of Hermione."

"The military is just the tip of the fucking iceberg of shit in this country that Hermione has destroyed." Chong spat angrily. "At least' there are some good people still in that branch of Hermione's internal oppression machine.

"Yeah, the Enforcers of Enlightenment, the FUICEE and the Chosen are all fanatics who believe the bullshit of Hermione and enforcer her laws with a sick relish." Ozuk snarled. "They are the new elite, the new wealthy, and they exploit the system for their own gain while ensuring all opposition to Hermione is crushed violently by any means necessary. Then you have the psychotic Blades who do all the wet work and killing that the others can't get away with. That's saying something given the shit that the formal institutions under Hermione can get away with. Add in the citizens who can't join any of these groups but still believe in Hermione's views and it's a recipe for disaster. All the while we are suffering, our women, girls and even boys are raped and/or beaten, our speech is limited to what Hermione allows, which is basically anything that doesn't offend her. We cannot have opposing views which lead to compromises that ensure improvement for fear of being sent to a slave labor camp to be worked to death, or just killed outright."

Ozuk paused for a moment to curb stomp one of the Enforcers who was trying to rise from the floor. The force of the stomp shattered the Enforcer's jaw, dislodged most of his teeth, and sent him back to the floor, unconscious.

"No my friend, this has been in the works for years." Ozuk continued as he looked around the room to make sure no other Enforcers were trying to get up. "Civil war was going to come to the Fire Nation eventually, especially with the Avatar unable to breach the blockade, but the LFTM has shown that we do not have to fear the inevitable Civil War. They have shown that 5 fighters can take down a force of 70 well trained soldiers who are loyal to Hermione and her oppressive ideals. They have shown us that we no longer have to live in fear of the whims of a dictator who uses equality as a guise for tyranny, who makes laws based on her emotions, feelings and sensibilities and not based on what it needed for the people of the Fire Nation. No longer. Today if you help us we will free this city and island from under Hermione's boot, and hopefully show the Avatar and the rest of the Fire Nation, that we will no longer be oppressed and we will fight. We still need Avatar Harry's aid as we are not strong enough to resist the military for long, only the Avatar could change the tide of the war that has broken out this night. Now if you excuse me, I have a traitor to go find and gut like a fish."

"Don't worry." Harry said to Ozuk. "The Avatar will know of your bravery and he will come to end Hermione's oppressive and illegal rule of the Fire Nation. She has made an effort to keep him out of her utopia because she knows he will not allow her tyranny to stand and that will bring her to justice. He will find a way in and take her out, he has defeated her in combat before and will do again. The Avatar will ensure that Hermione is dragged off the throne, be it in chains or a cheap pine box, so that justice is served. Hermione cannot keep the military at the borders if there is unrest on the mainland. She will have to decide between civil war on her doorstep or war with the other nations because as soon as the blockade can be run, the other nations will send their forces in to end her. Her days as a dictator are numbered"

Before any of their new friends could answer Harry, the door, and surrounding wall, was blown off its hinges and into the room. One of the few remaining patrons was hit by the door and blasted into the far wall, almost certainly killing the patron.

Standing in the doorway was a large, beefy, man around Harry's age. Harry recognized him as a first generation bender in his year in the Earth House called Entwhistle who had left with Hermione after he had defeated her in his firebending test. At last Harry was face to face with one of Hermione's Chosen.

Entwhistle was wearing a set green camouflage fatigues with a logo on his left breast, the same outfit that Harry had seen the Chosen assigned to guard Hermione wore to denote their bending talents. The logo, the first time Harry had seen it up close, showed Raava in all her glory holding a boulder in her white tendrils. It was clearly a sign that the man was chosen by Raava to be an earthbender, both the logo and green color of the fatigues made it abundantly clear what Entwhistle's bending element was.

Entwhistle was one of the Chosen, Hermione's elite, those who were like her were born with bending to nonbenders and by her philosophy the best benders in the world. The logo was an insult to Harry as the Avatar and the spirit of light that was Raava as it implied that she had bestowed bending upon them thus making them touched by the greatest of light spirits. It was an a clear attempt to justify the many evils Hermione had committed while in power.

As Harry took in the new arrival, Entwhistle surveyed the room with a cruel grin on his face. Harry didn't know why a Chosen was here but Harry was not going to pass up this opportunity to take out one of Hermione's highest ranked subordinates.

"Shit it's one of the fucking Chosen." Ozuk growled from next to Harry. "Ain't going to be getting out that way anymore."

"Is he really that skilled?" Harry asked knowing that Entwhistle had been decent, but not the best, earthbender in the Earth House back when they were at the Academy together but he hadn't seen the man in 6 years and a lot can change in that time.

"Dunno about his skill level, it's more the standing the Chosen have in the Fire Utopia." Ying replied as Entwhistle cracked his knuckles and turned his intense gaze on their little group, one of the few that was still standing in the ruined tavern.

"The Chosen are the elite guards and enforcers of Hermione." Chong added. "They have all sworn their loyalty directly to and are only answerable to Hermione. Those not charged with protecting Hermione in the Capital are assigned to various regions as judges and executioners of Hermione's will with unlimited and unchecked powers. That power has gone to many of their heads, not that it wasn't there already seeing as most are young men and women who followed her before she revealed the Enlightened and the Chosen. They are fanatically loyal to Hermione and will die for her. If one is here, and Entwhistle is one of the worst, then it is not a good sign as they can rally the forces loyal to Hermione and kill all of us legally."

"Well, I'll have to do something about him then." Harry said firmly as the others glanced at him in surprise.

Harry quickly looked at Neville and nodded to his friend. Neville, clearly getting Harry's unspoken message, detached his lightning rod and extended it. The Fire Nation native got a few quizzical looks from the 3 locals before Neville aimed it at the wall next to the alley and released the charge he had been building up, sending a bolt of lightning at the wall. The thin stone wall shattered outwards leaving a gaping hole in it.

"Go out the wall and help your friends and family." Harry said to the others. "This bitch is mine."

Ozuk, Ying and Chong didn't need telling twice. They all thanked Harry for his company and his stand against Hermione before running out of the new exit Neville had made for them. Entwhistle had yet to move, clearly he was savoring this moment. Now it was only him and the 4 members of Team Avatar present in the tavern, along with the bodies of the dead, dying, and wounded.

"Looks like I found me some fucking traitors to her majesty." The Chosen grinned sadistically as he cracked his neck in anticipation of the upcoming fight. "I'm going to enjoy taking you down and bringing you to her for interrogation. I do enjoy the screams that Her Majesty's executioner elicits from those foolish enough to stand in our way."

"Well at least he isn't threatening to rape us." Ginny said as she and Luna hurried over to join Harry and Neville. "Yet."

"It ain't rape if it is against a convicted criminal who is serving her sentence as a fucking whore." Entwhistle said to Ginny. "And seeing as I have the power to convict y'all and determine your sentences, I think I will find y'all guilty of treason, terrorism, murder, wrong think, and a whole slew of other charges we can add later. In accordance with Empress Hermione the Savior's enlightened laws, I hereby sentence the sluts to a life sentence to be served via hard labor and when I mean hard, I mean really hard labor. You will be sent to the factories once you become too old to fuck. As for the two excuses for men with you, I sentence you two to death by interrogation at the hands of the Royal Interrogator. A fine prize you 4 will make the Empress."

"Go and find Ron." Harry said to his friends as he struggled to contain his anger at the monster in front of him. "He will need your help, I'll meet you once I'm done with this asshole. Don't worry, he will never harm another sole.""

"Make sure of that." Ginny said with an anger Harry had never heard from his fiance as she, Neville and Luna ran out the hole in the wall. "I know he stands no chance against you."

"I'm surprised you let them go." Harry said idly spinning his swords as Ginny's parting words lingered between him and Entwhistle. "You don't want the glory of taking the others down. You did just say that we will be a prize for the cunt you worship."

"You're clearly their leader." Entwhistle replied with a sneer. "Without you they will crumble and as a Chosen I will naturally get all the credit. Besides, you ain't a bender so you are much less of a threat me."

"You afraid of a challenge big guy." Harry taunted. His disguise was working as this fucker hadn't recognized him, had Entwhistle realized who Harry was, he wouldn't underestimate Harry the way he had just done.

"Don't want to pick on a someone of your own skill level then." Harry continued in a mocking tone. "Shame, so much like your cowardly mistress. You Chosen fucks are all the same. You claim that the nature of your birth makes you the best benders and yet you are too scared to test the limits of your abilities when facing a truly powerful opponent. At least the Death Eaters had the decency to try and take one superior benders, they had the confidence in their abilities that y'all lack, though about as many brain cells as y'all have. Course their misplaced faith in the purity of their blood didn't protect the fuckers as many fell by my hand. Are you ready to join them in the afterlife, I bet there is a special place in the Spirit World for monsters like you."

"How dare you compare me to those racist, intolerant, elitist, fascist, bigots you pathetic weakling." Entwhistle roared in abject rage before he grabbed a large section of the wall to Harry's left and hurled it at Harry. "You are just like them, all who who do not believe as the Empress does are fucking fascists."

Harry mused that the earthbending Entwhistle had just done was an impressive display of raw bending power, similar to the talents of the Death Eater Rowle, as he braced himself for impact. It was time for a little acting that only an earthbender could pull off.

Harry let the wall hit him but cushioned the blow with his own earthbending so as to mitigate any actual damage. Harry allowed the blow to carry him to the other side of the bar, through the hole Neville had recently made in the wall, and into the ally next to the tavern.

Rolling on landing and softening the earth so as to absorb his impact, Harry lay there pretending to be more hurt than he actually was, though he was battered a bit by the attack as he couldn't fully negate the attack lest he give away his earthbending ability to Entwhistle. Rock chips surrounded him from attack, providing more evidence that he had been injured by the irate Chosen.

As Harry rose slowly to his feat, he felt the earth rumble and turned to see a thick earth wall blocking him off from fleeing out the back of the ally, not that he had any intention of doing so to begin with. Entwhistle then blew out another section of wall further down the alley and created another rock wall behind him sealing the pair off in the alley. Harry smirked the fool had trapped himself against an opponent he had no clue about. This fucking fanatic would rue that mistake for the brief time he had left in this plain of existence.

"Weakling?" Harry spat, pretending to be injured as he hunched over. "You know, you sound like one of the Death Eaters or Voldemort right about now."

"Those fucking racists assholes were right about one thing." Entwhistle said sneering at Harry as he got ready to end Harry's life. "Nonbenders are the weaklings. We benders are superior to them in every way imaginable, only it is the first generation benders not the purebloods who are the greatest benders, that was what Voldemort got wrong. Fortunately, the Empress was around to show me the light and from that moment on I have been her loyal servant."

"I thought you were supposed to be a champion of nonbenders' rights." Harry said a little taken aback by the man's words.

As warped and twisted as Hermione's mind was, and how she justified the evil she committed to achieving her goals, Harry did acknowledge that she was at least concerned with the rights of nonbenders and saw them as equals to benders something Voldemort did not, even if she didn't see them, or anyone really, as her equal. Harry knew that he could have gotten on with Hermione, even accepted a few of her tamer views, if she had been able to compromise and come towards the middle. If she had been able to temperate her views and the extremes she was willing to go to to achieve them then he could have been friendly with her and used her as a useful asset in some capacity given her intellect.

Instead, Hermione had decided to go down a darker path and had become as intolerant as Voldemort. The difference was that her intolerance was directed not at the specific few who were actually intolerant assholes like Voldemort, but all those who shared a similar background to him and his Death Eaters. Hermione had been indoctrinated into a group mentality philosophy that put one's identity and not individuality at the core of their being and their way of life. As such she assumed that if a few of a particular group were bad apples, then it that group's mentality and not their outliers. How she had gotten this point though where she oppressed all opposing views, even if they contradicted or tried to form a more moderate compromise to appease her, baffled him. Just one of those things that would have to be figured out by smarter minds than Harry's.

"Yes we are all equal here." Entwhistle said with an insincere laugh. "But some, like the Chosen, are more equal than others. We were oppressed because of our economic situation, because of our parentage, because of our fucking birth. Therefore, it is only natural that we rise up and show our oppressors the error of their ways by oppressing them. Only then can we truly be equal, when those who rightfully deserve to be on top are on top and those who rightfully deserve to be on the bottom are where they belong. Voldemort had it the wrong way around and Hermione has corrected that, but an intolerant bigot like yourself will never see the Empress's infinite wisdom."

"You cannot meet oppression with oppression." Harry countered.

He was getting tired of all this bullshit but he had to try and talk the guy down. Despite his talk, Harry really didn't want to kill Entwhistle but if he failed to talk the fanatic down, a long shot at best, then he would have to end the Chosen. People like Entwhistle fought to the death and if that was their ultimate choice, Harry would oblige them.

"Just because a few asshole purebloods warped their own views, doesn't mean all purebloods like that." Harry continued as he straightened to look Entwhistle in the eye. "Just because a select few committed great evil in the past does not mean you can meet that discrimination with discrimination and evil of your own. Show that you are better than them, not the same. You preach equality and yet you do not allow opposing views or anything at all that doesn't fall in line with Hermione's views. You elevate a specific group to an elite status because of what, perceived intelligence, being born with bending to nonbenders? How is that any different to the bender supremacists that you profess to be better than?"

"Because we know what is best for the people." Entwhistle snarled back, clearly getting annoyed at Harry's attempts to talk to him. "Only those with intelligence, those who know what all the injustices in the world and can see how to correct them can be leaders, everyone else must follow. Only those willing to act to correct these injustices deserve to live in civilized society. Sometimes force is necessary to ensure equality of outcome for all. Many time those who are suffering don't even know they are suffering until those who see it point it out and do something to correct it, they are internalizing their own oppression. Only by silencing opposing views that champion this bigotry, racism and intolerance can we end it in the world."

"And yet you just admitted that benders were superior to nonbenders." Harry said a little confused at the contradicting statements Entwhistle was making to him.

"That is only the nature of our world." Entwhistle said as if it explained everything, an explanation Harry had heard many Purists make. "True equality is equality of outcome not opportunity, everyone knows that. So long as the masses are all equal in what happens to them and are guided by the enlightened few who know what is best for them then the world is balanced. Only then can we end intolerance and bigotry. So far only the Fire Utopia has accomplished this."

"Intolerance is the unwillingness to accept views, beliefs or behavior that differ from your own." Harry retorted. "So tell me how you aren't intolerant for not accepting views in the Fire Nation that are not Hermione's. You don't have to like other views, you don't have to agree with them but you should at least respect a person's right to hold them."

"Fuck you, you intolerant wanker." Entwhistle snarled at Harry with unbridled rage. "I don't have to take or tolerate shit from a terrorist when I know it is false. I was going to take you in alive so that you could be tortured for information, that is legal for criminals as you have no rights here, but I think I'll kill you instead. The others will be just as useful and it is always a good idea to kill the leader, instills fear in the others. Cut off the head and the body will die."

"I will give you one warning to back down." Harry said as he sheathed his swords receiving a sneer from Entwhistle at that action, likely the Chosen saw that as a sign of weakness in Harry, Harry would exploit that assumption soon. "Surrender and live, I may even put in a good word at your criminal tribunal once the Fire Nation is liberated from tyranny. Or you chose to face me in battle and take a chance with death. You do not know who you are messing with bitch. Mark my words, if you chose option 2, you will be defeated."

"I know that you are a pathetic, nonbending, terrorist, asshole, traitor who will soon be a red smear beneath my boot." Entwhistle growled as he took a powerful earthbending stance in preparation for the upcoming fight. "How dare you threaten a Chosen. I have been touched by Raava and blessed with bending, you cannot possibly defeat me."

"Fine have it your way." Harry sighed. "And for the record there is only one being on this plant touched by Raava ... me."

With that Harry punched forward, taking hold of the earthbent wall behind him. Instead of sending rocks from the wall, Harry sent a stream of lave right at a shocked Entwhistle who had clearly not been expecting Harry to be a bender.

Harry had opted for the lavabending because he was sick and tired of being treated like shit by these people just because he didn't share their twisted views. The moron in front of him had underestimated him and not recognized Harry, proving that the disguise worked, and for that, Entwhistle would pay. Lastly though, Harry was fed up of hiding behind a front. It was time that Hermione knew the Avatar was in the Fire Nation. It was time she realized how fucked she was.

Entwhistle had been too shocked to react and the lava caught him cleanly in the shoulder. Howling in pain, the Chosen fell back, bounced off the earth wall he had bent to seal them in the alley, and stumble froward onto one knee. Harry drew one of his swords again and walked calmly towards the injured man. He could see the pain and hatred for him burning in Entwhistle's eyes.

"What the fuck." He snarled as Harry approached. "You didn't act like a bender."

"Never underestimate your opponent." Harry said calmly. "That's the first lesson I learned at the Elemental Academy. You never know who he or she could be."

"Lavabending isn't an attack one expects to encounter in the Earth Kingdom, let alone the Fire Utopia." Entwhistle grunted out through the pain he was no doubt in. "I only knew of one student at the elemental Academy who could do it and he turned out to be the intolerant fucking Avatar who cheated against the Empress in his firebending test. I left with her that day and have been helping her achieve her goals ever since."

"Pleasure to meet you again Entwhistle." Harry said with a smile as he got in Entwhistle's face. Harry enjoyed watching as the dawning realization came into the Chosen earthbender's eyes as he stared in shock at Harry. "Recognize me now bitch."

"Fuck you motherfucker." Entwhistle said defiantly. "Her majesty will still beat you when the time come Avatar. If I don't do so now."

Harry felt the earth shift as Entwhistle tried to punch up a pillar of earth at him with his good arm. As the earth was rising Harry deftly sidestepped the danger zone and slashed his sword upwards. The pillar stopped dead in its tracks as Entwhistle's head fell from his shoulders and into a puddle of still hot lave.

Wiping his blade clean on Entwhistle's uniform and sheathing it Harry held out his right arm and imploded the earth wall, unable to ignore the acrid scent of charred human flesh. Stepping over the body of the Chosen he had been forced to kill, Harry walked into the city and into the riot that he had been unable to notice while dealing with Entwhistle. It was time the Avatar officially returned to the Fire Nation.

* * *

Harry walked into a scene of absolute chaos, though the area around the Combustion Room was clear of violence. Unlike riots he had heard of in the past that involved looting and destruction of valuable property, here there was only desperate violence against the institutions that Hermione used to subjugate her citizens.

The Enforcers headquarters were already up in flames, thought that could have been due to its proximity to the tavern that they had just destroyed. Harry could see a large number of the black clad Enforcers, along with a handful of the Blades, walking down the now deserted street towards him. The rioters had spread across the city and were unorganized but Harry could tell that there was no way that the Enforcers and Blades could win this battle. Any stragglers who crossed what was likely the organized mass of the Enforcers were easily put down. Harry turned to face the approaching force.

"Stand down in the name of the Avatar and you will not be harmed." Harry said them as he stood defiantly in the middle of the street. "Your reign of tyranny will end soon, this is but the most recent act of liberation on the path to restoring the Fire Nation to its rightful ruler, Firelord Druzok. I am Avatar Harry and I command you to surrender or face my power."

The Enforcers didn't stop but kept advancing clearly thinking they had the advantage due to their numbers, and probably not believing Harry's claim that he was the Avatar. The front line were firebenders who held out their fists and sent streams of flames at Harry in a vain attempt to incinerate him. Harry smiled as his eyes glowed white and he entered the Avatar State for the first time since beginning his mission to free the Fire Nation.

Bracing himself, Harry used his augmented power to bend all the fire around himself before sending directly back at the approaching force, scattering them but the attack was merely a distraction. Using the distraction his counter attack provided him, Harry leaped high in the air with his earthbending. Harry then came down hard onto the street, punching it with all his power, and directed a wave of earth at the incoming Enforcers. They had been too surprised to actually see the Avatar in action, and too busy avoiding his counter, to react and the wave scattered them to all sides of the street, many going through the nearby buildings. Whether or not they were alive was a moot point, they were out of this fight.

"Harry." Ron called from behind him.

Harry turned and noticed the shocked look on Ron's face and realized he was still in the Avatar State, which was always a slightly disconcerting sight apparently. Closing his eyes Harry returned to normal.

"Ron, where are the others?" Harry asked.

"I ran into them as they fled the alley while on my way back to the tavern and sent them to go get the van and anything they may need from the warehouse." Ron said quickly as he ran up to Harry. Harry noticed he had Harry's bag strapped to his back from the apartment that he and Ginny had used. "We have to get the fuck out of here. Whatever the plan was I pretty much sent it up shit's creek without a paddle when I started this riot."

"This riot has been brewing for years but I agree, we need to get the fuck out of here." Harry said with a nod. "I hate to leave a place in this state but there is little more we can do here and if we stay we risk getting caught in Hermione's inevitable, and violent, counter attack."

"That's the thing Harry it's not just the civilians who are rioting." Ron said as they began to run towards the outskirts of the city along a path that Harry assumed Ron had told the others to drive the truck along. Once they were clear of the city and any collateral Harry shifted the earth so that he and Ron could travel faster.

"The military rank and file has deserted." Ron shouted as they began to skate along the earth.

"What!" Harry exclaimed as they traveled.

"When the senior officers ordered the military to go into the town and suppress the riot at all costs, and that means to kill any civilian they encountered, they revolted." Ron said with a laugh. "Apparently they won't needlessly slaughter an entire city that they knew was being oppressed. The garrison is in uproar and some even freed the prisoners from the labor camps in the area. But Harry, you were just in the Avatar State, they will know you're here now."

"They would have anyway after I took out a Chosen with the aid of lavabending." Harry said shaking his head. "And I am fed up with hiding. Our next destination is the Capital in preparation for our final assault on the palace and the removal of Hermione from power, so why not let Hermione realize that I have breached her blockade. We know she fears the power of the Avatar as it is one of the few things that can really take her down so let's make her feel it as we wait for the right moment, and the necessary reinforcements, to strike."

"Very well, not my first strategy but after unleashing this riot I can understand the need to start really applying the pressure on Hermione." Ron said with a sigh. "I didn't plan on it but you could tell that it was bound to happen sooner rather than later. If we hadn't have arrived when we did then there would have been a full scale civil war in the Fire Nation within another 5 years. Many more would have died before the blockade broke to handle the unrest inside the nation and we got the chance to invade."

"Yes, that is why we must end it now before it gets any worse." Harry said firmly as they came up to the warehouses. Ron had been pointing the way to Harry as they traveled as Harry had no idea where they were going.

The checkpoint had been deserted and Harry stopped at it in confusion. Looking over his shoulder he winced at the damage he had done to the road. The truck would handle it alright but it wouldn't be a pleasant ride for them. Speaking of the truck, it proceeded to crash threw the chain fence on the other side of the road. Luna was behind the wheel a look of both panic and joy on her face.

"Sorry, never driven one of these things before." She said as she pulled the truck to a screeching stop. "We had to get out in a hurry as the military may send forces that are actually loyal to the bitch in from other parts of the Fire Nation."

"Ron take the wheel I have something to do first." Harry ordered as he turned and faced the warehouses.

Entering the Avatar State Harry spread his arms wide and turned the rock in front of him into molten lava. He stretched the lava out into a line so that it ran from one end of the warehouses to the other and then pushed forward, none would be spared. At Harry's command, the lava pushed forward and spread rapidly.

It took a lot of power before Harry had turned all the earth in the entire warehouse district into a huge lava field. This should slow down the military stockpiling a bit, help the locals in the short term and help them in the long run. Exiting the Avatar State Harry turned and ran to the truck and hopped in the back with the aid of a little earthbending. As soon as he had crashed unceremoniously into the back of the truck, Ron put it into gear and they set off.

With the state of the road that Harry had caused, it took them half an hour to reach the nearest bridge that connected the island to the mainland. So far the riot was still going on if the plumes of smoke were any indication of the situation and they had not passed anyone on the way. As they were crossing the bridge Harry opened the back door of the van and thrust his arm down creating a pool of lava in the center of the bridge and expanded it so that it covered a large portion of the bridge. It should be enough to collapse the bridge and hopefully separate the city from Hermione's inevitable reprisal.

"That won't hold reinforcements for long if they are coming from the air but it should destroy the bridge." Harry said as he used metalbending to close the door and returned to the bench in the back of the truck that they sat on when driving.

"I hope they will be ok." Ginny said with a note of worry in her voice. "I hate leaving them there to suffer possible harm at the hands of a desperate, unstable, despot."

"Seeing as I revealed myself to be the Avatar, I think the cunt will have more to worry about than one city that she has lost in a riot." Harry said to stunned looks from Ginny and Neville who were in the back with him so he briefly explained his fight with Entwhistle and he attack on the Enforcers and Blades who had tried to attack him.

"Harry makes a good point." Ron called from the driver's seat as he slowed the van down to a legal speed. "I didn't approve at first but now that I think about it, this might be the best strategy going forward. If Hermione has any sense, she will keep the blockade but reinforce the military presence in the Capital to protect herself from Harry and thus leave Fire Fountain City as it is, which is good for them. That's why we have to drive through the night to get there. Once we reach the Capital we will hole up in one of Pyrites's many safe houses there and try to figure out our next move. We still have a few weeks before Pyrites is supposed to meet us there so we may as well lie low and keep an eye on Hermione from up close."

Harry just nodded as he slid off the bench, onto the floor of the truck and closed his eyes. He was tired from all the energy he had expended in the last hour or so and he desperately needed to sleep. He knew that when he woke they would be near the Capital and one step closer to their goal of ending Hermione's tyranny and finally restoring balance to the Fire Nation.

 **Sorry again for the delay but those will become more frequent for the next few weeks. The only thing to really note here is that Entwhistle's name comes from the Harry Potter wikia list of muggleborns so that is why he is used as one of the Chosen in this chapter.** **Anyway** **, keep letting me know what you think of this story in the reviews and any questions asked in reviews or PMs to me will be answered at the start of next week's chapter when it is released, whenever that is given my schedule. Until next week.**

 **Stringdog**


	17. Chapter 17

**Here is the 17th chapter of Book 2 a few hours later than I would have liked but editing does take a while. This chapter marks the halfway point in Book 2 give or take as there are 33 chapters in Book 2, so it is much shorter than Book 1. Nothing new to add here so sit back and enjoy the latest installment in Avatar: The Tale of Harry. Book 2: Equality.**

 **Disclaimer: As always I won nothing related to either of these two great works of fiction.**

 **Chapter 17**

Harry woke in the back of the truck when the truck went over a bump in the road, causing his body to lurch up and land painfully on the hard floor of the truck. Groaning in pain, Harry opened his eyes to see that the sun was up and that they were still on the road, though that was obvious given how he was woken up.

Groggily he sat up and looked around, stretching as best he could to work out the stiffness in his body from the hard surface he had slept on. At the moment Ginny was driving, keeping the truck at an even speed that was withing the speed limit while Neville sat in the front navigating. Ron was polishing his throwing knives while sitting on the bench next to Harry.

Looking up, Harry saw that Luna appeared to have created some sort of hammock to sleep in that had been strung to the ceiling of the truck and pulled taught to keep her secure. Harry had no idea how Luna had done that but she did have a habit of thinking outside the box so he decided not to question Luna's choice of sleeping position.

"Morning." Ron said not looking up from his work. Harry was impressed Ron could work on sharp objects while they were driving until Harry saw that his water skin was open so obviously Ron had been healing minor cuts that he had inflicted on himself whenever the road got bumpy.

"How long was I out for?" Harry said as he rubbed the sleep from his eyes and groaned again at how sore he was. "I normally don't feel drained or sore after going into the Avatar State. I must have pushed myself past what I'm used to."

"About 10 hours." Ron said nonchalantly inspecting the knife he was working on. "I think the fact that you haven't really used the Avatar State all that much in the last 5 years, you've only used it 7 times since you stripped Voldemort of his bending, and the fact that you did create a lava field that would make a volcano jealous no doubt contributed to the exertion you did last night. That being said, I know jack shit about how the whole Avatar State thing works so I could just be talking out my ass as usual."

"Your guess is as good as mine." Harry said. "I don't think anyone has ever figured out how the Avatar State works."

"True, there is very little literature on it." Ron said as he sheathed the knife he had been sharpening and pulled out another one and set to work on that. "But seeing as it works, I am not going to question it."

"Any word on Fire Fountain City and the riots?" Harry asked as he shifted to sit on the bench and grabbed a non waterbending water skin to deal with his dry mouth.

"None yet." Neville called from up front, not looking up from the map. "We've had the radio on all the time but still nothing. No word, no declaration, nothing. Just the usual propaganda bullshit."

"We still a few days out of the Capital?" Harry asked trying to remember how far they were from the Capital.

"Yeah about 3 or so if we drive through the night and only stop for gas." Neville said. "It's farther away than we thought last night so we will be on the road for a bit. Ron has the rota for driving, so you're not set to drive for a while."

"Thanks." Harry said as he sighed in relief as the last vestiges of fatigue left him.

It had been a hectic series of events in Fire Fountain City, certainly not what he had intended for the city, and he hoped he hadn't doomed the citizens there with his actions. He closed his eyes and was about to meditate, possible see if he could gauge anything from Korra in the Spirit World to kill some time when his thoughts were interrupted by a buzzing from the radio.

" _This just in."_ Came the voice of a radio host. " _We have gotten word from her majesty, Empress Hermione the Savior, of a shocking and unprovoked attack on the peaceful and industrious Fire Fountain City."_

Harry's eyes snapped open and all his attention was drawn to the radio. Everyone in the truck had gone silent as Neville turned up the volume so that they could hear the radio host better.

" _The terrorist group known as the Liberation from Tyrants Movement, or the LFTM for short, has attacked and caused extensive damage and loss of life to one of the most important cities in the Fire Utopia. Based on the reports we have been given, an as of yet unknown number of terrorists snuck into the city last night and proceeded to incite a riot when loyal members of the Enforcers of Enlightenment tried to arrest these dangerous terrorists. It is unknown at this time how many have died because of LFTM but rest assured, all deaths in Fire Fountain City will be laid at their feet and added to the list of crimes that these terrorists have now been found guilty of."  
_

"That's bullshit, we may have started it but we didn't incite it." Ron grumble but Ginny shushed him so that they could continue to listen to the radio.

 _"Several citizens joined the side of these heinous monsters and helped them during the riot. In addition, we have learned that a large portion of the military stationed in the area to monitor the factories and hard labor camps for convicted criminals, have deserted and sided with these animals. The whole island where Fire Fountain City, named originally after the fire breathing statue of the tyrant Ozai that has since been replaced by one of our beloved and enlightened Empress, is located has shut down all communications with the rest of the Fire Utopia."_

That part was the first bit of new and potential true information on the situation that the radio host had said. Harry had been hoping that something good would come of it and if the people of Fire Fountain City had severed communications with the Capital that could only be good news for them. Harry continued to listen intently, hoping to learn more about the situation from the state run radio station.

 _"As of yet the Military High Command, the FUICEE, and the Enforcers of Equality headquarters in the Crucible of Enlightenment have all failed to establish contact with their respective offices located in Fire Fountain City. As of right now, the fear amongst those loyal to Empress Hermione the Savior is that most, if not all of the loyal authorities there, have been murdered by these abhorrent terrorists. This is especially bad as it is known that one of the largest prison labor camps exists on the island. All the prisoners that have been housed there are some of the worst criminals in the Fire Utopia, all of which are serving life sentences of hard labor for their heinous crimes. We are talking about traitors, rebels and other dissidents to our glorious Empress, who have spread sedition within our peaceful and equal nation."_

Harry snorted. They all knew what that meant, the prisoners there were political prisoners who had been arrested for daring to even question Hermione's views. While some may have committed crimes over the course of a rebellion, so long as those crimes were sanctioned under international laws of war, they would be pardoned by Druzok once all this was all over.

 _"We also know that Chosen Entwhistle, one of the valiant 30 Chosen who fled the Elemental Academy with our Empress after she was unjustly expelled and charged with a plethora of false crimes by an illegitimate and unenlightened government, was on the island at the time of the riots."_ The radio host continued and brought Harry's attention back to the broadcast as he had killed Entwhistle during the riot. _"As one of the 50 roving Chosen assigned to enforce our Empress's enlightened laws, Chosen Entwhistle was there to investigate reports of other Chosen residing there and to bring them to the Crucible of Enlightenment to be educated by the Empress herself on what their spirit given gifts mean to the world."_

There was a pause from the radio host that all of Team Avatar used to stare at the radio in shock. There was a lot to digest from that broadcast but before anyone could say anything the radio host spoke again, this time with something even more important for them to listen to.

 _"We will continue to report more on this nation tragedy as the day goes on but for now we must go as I have just received word that her majesty, our benevolent Empress Hermione the Savior, will address her loyal, faithful, grateful and enduring citizens. We now go over to her live broadcast from her thrown in the Palace of Enlightenment."_

" _Citizens of the Fire Utopia, the greatest, most prosperous and the only truly equal, enlightened and legitimate nation in the world."_ Hermione's self-righteous voice came from the radio before Harry could even begin to parse what the announcer had said. " _I address you not only as your wise, enlightened, benevolent, perfect, and infallible Empress but as your protector from tyranny, your restorer of equality, your bringer of enlightenment and humbly ask for your support in these troubling of times."_

At this Hermione paused as if to let her narcissist words sink in. All Harry could think about was how self-aggrandizing the bitch was, clearly the longer she was in power the more full of herself she got. After a few seconds Hermione continued.

 _"As you have heard, Fire Fountain City was senselessly and heinously attacked by a group of radical terrorists who wish nothing else other than to enslave you in the shackles of oppression and attach the yoke of servitude upon you once more with the tyranny of the Firelords. A tyranny, may I remind you, that I ended for the sake of all who fight for equality in this world. I implore all my loyal and faithful subjects to help the authorities that I have created in the Fire Utopia for your protection. Remember that they are here to ensure that my enlightened and true views are carried out for the betterment of society, they are here to look after you all."_

"Does she really believe this shit?" Neville asked. "Cos it's clear to anyone with half a brain that they aren't here for the betterment of the average citizen."

"Shh." Ginny admonished. "We're listening to the cunt right now."

 _"All must do whatever they can to aid the authorities in apprehending these wicked monsters who slaughter innocent civilians and brutally torture and murder the brave defenders of the Fire Utopia. I have repetitively condemned their terrorism, their seditious and destabilizing actions for the evil crimes that we all know they have committed. I have repetitively implored you, the people of the Fire Utopia, to help in bringing them to the justice they so richly deserve."_

"The only person who deserves justice right now is you." Harry muttered angrily at Hermione's hypocrisy but kept listening to her garbage nonetheless.

 _"Do not listen to the vile lies that they have had the audacity to spread about your Empress and her enlightened advisors, about those benders who are chosen by the spirits the same way I was chosen by the spirits to have bending, the way I was chosen by Raava to lead the world into a newer, better, brighter age of true equality. They are lies brought to you by the most unsavory and criminal elements of our society, by animals who wish to use the actions I have done to ensure equality in our glorious nation for their own twisted goals of tyranny."_

Harry had to bite his own cheek at this. He had no idea how Hermione could rationalize what she was doing was anything other than the clear tyranny that it was. She had subjected her fellow citizens to horrors that Harry couldn't even begin to imagine and yet she had the audacity to claim that it was all in the name of equality. It was one of the many reasons why Hermione needed to be taken down and the Fire Nation restored to what it once was.

 _"I do not doubt that the unenlightened leaders of the other nations and their illegitimate governments, for remember a government can only be legitimate if led by an enlightened leader such as myself, as well as the traitor to equality and enlightenment that is Avatar Harry have been influencing these nefarious criminals."_ Hermione continued and Harry smirked at the fact that Hermione either had no idea or at least was denying the fact that the Avatar was almost at her doorstep and about to end her reign of terror.

 _"Mark my words, they will be brought to justice and any who help, support or even speak about the LFTM in anyway that is not utter condemnation will face the full extent of my laws."_ Hermione said, her voice filled with the religious zeal she often got when she was in the middle of passionate speech. _"Any affiliation with or support for the LFTM will be seen as an act of treason against me and the Fire Utopia with an automatic guilty verdict without trial and those who are guilty will be punished accordingly be it by execution or a life sentence of hard labor as befits any who goes against my enlightened laws."_

"Yes because follow me to the letter or die either by execution or hard labor is so enlightened." Ron snarled. "I will enjoy seeing her in chains once this is over."

"Agreed but we need to hear this." Harry said trying to calm his best friend. "All of this is evidence against her when the time comes for her to face justice."

Ron just nodded at Harry's words. Hermione was still talking so they continued to listen to what was likely the last part of her latest misleading speech condemning their actions to free the citizens of the Fire Nation from her tyranny.

 _"Their latest atrocity was committed in Fire Fountain City, a key city for the protection and stability of the Fire Utopia from those who would seek to harm me and my enlightened leadership, has ended in the deaths hundreds if not thousands of brave and innocent civilians at the hands of these terrorists. This abominable act of unparalleled evil shows the great lengths to which the LFTM will go to destroy this perfect society that I have created for you. Remember my words my loyal citizens for I and I alone am enlightened enough to lead the Fire Utopia and preserve the equality I have restored to you after it was taken from you by the Firelords. Thank you and remember to use the authorities that I have established for your safety and security. This has been your enlightened and benevolent Hermione the Savior speaking the truth to the nation, stay safe and abide by my laws."_

They waited a few seconds to confirm that Hermione had finished her speech before Ginny turned the radio off. They all sat there in stunned silence at the tirade that Hermione had just unleashed upon the nation and the lies it had contained. This could only help their cause as the people would soon realize the full extent of what transpired in Fire Fountain City if the rioters managed to take it as Harry hoped and thus managed to gain access to a high powered radio to broadcast the truth of the situation out there.

Once the actual results of the riot became public knowledge, if Hermione didn't censor it which Harry expected her to do so, and the fact that the Avatar was in the Fire Nation and leading the rebellion against her tyranny, then more would hopefully realize that Hermione's days as Fire Empress of the Fire Utopia were numbered. A low moan of pleasure and a soft shuffling sound broke the stunned silence and caused all but Ginny who was driving to look towards the sound of the noise.

"Mhmm, Ron, oh yeah, that's it, yeah, deeper, harder!" Came Luna's voice causing Harry to stare up at the airbender shuffling in her hammock.

Ron had suddenly gone a shade of red Harry had thought impossible for human skin to achieve and Ginny to almost veer off the road and crash into a ditch before she slammed on the brakes and brought them to a sudden stop. There was little doubt as to what the blond girl was up to and that she was the source of the noise.

"Yes, that's it, take me from behind Ron!" Luna continued clearly oblivious to the fact that they could all hear her. "Yes fuck me harder, yes your big cock feels so good in my tight, wet, cunt! Yes fuck me in the ass now! Yes harder, rougher maul these titties, you know I love it rough! Yes! Keep going, don't stop I'm going to cum! Cum in my ass Ron, yes, yes I can feel it oh I'm cumming, oh, oh, RON!"

Luna finished with an ear piercing, airbending augmented, scream as she climaxed shouting Ron's name. Luna then let out a long, contented, sigh before shifting in the hammock above them.

A moment later her head popped out from the side of it to see the stunned individuals in the truck. Harry staring open mouthed, Ginny determinedly focused on the road as she started the truck up again, Neville pointedly staring at the map and Ron embarrassed beyond belief, so much so that he didn't even realize he had accidentally stabbed himself in the hand with the knife he had been sharpening.

"Oh, forgot I was in the truck for a moment." Luna said with a deadpan face and absolutely no hint of embarrassment and being caught masturbating in the truck while they were driving. "But sometimes a girl just has to finger herself. What did I miss?"

"Luna, please, never do that again." Harry said after he regained his composure from what he had just heard. "We'll tell you in a moment what you missed but not until we figure out a way to revive your fiancé and he has healed himself physically. Psychologically, this may take a while as I will never let him forget it."

This caused everyone, except a still mortified and speechless Ron, to burst into laughter. Luna was blunt and didn't give a shit about many things and at times it was moments like this that cheered them all up when they really needed it.

The rest of the drive passed without incident. After Ron had recovered and healed himself, though he would likely need someone like Ginny to get rid of the scar on his left palm, they told Luna about the news report and Hermione's announcement and condemnation. They agreed to keep monitoring the news, despite the clear bias that the state run news had, as they drove to the Capital.

On the second day of the drive they finally learned that 34 of the 50 Enforcers stationed in Fire Fountain city had died with the rest being taken hostage by the insurrectionists who now controlled the island. According to the state controlled news, they had been brutally and senselessly murdered in the riots, along with 67 civilians, most of whom had been nobly aiding the Enforcers in trying to restore order and law to the city. In addition, 23 military personnel, 2 undercover FUICEE agents and 17 Blades had perished in the riots at the hands of the rioters or the LFTM sympathizers as they were all now known as.

The rioters and military defectors had seized what was left of the military hardware after Harry had destroyed it and declared the island free from Hermione's tyranny and that there were now standing with the LFTM. They also announced that all prisoners who had been sent to the labor camps by Hermione for opposing her had been freed and the captured authorities and sympathetic citizens to Hermione had been arrested and were being treated as prisoners of war. Hermione had naturally vowed a swift and just resolution to the deal with and execute all those who she now deemed to be traitors but as of yet the military had not been sent to deal with them.

The news had also reported of the murder of Chosen Entwhistle at the hands of the LFTM, the worst assassination in the Fire Utopia's brief history. Hermione had ordered that a week of morning for one of the Chosen who had fallen defending the Fire Utopia and its ideals be held across the whole nation while a statue to him was commissioned so as to memorialize his heroism in protecting the Fire Utopia.

Hermione claimed that evidence showed Entwhistle had fought bravely and defeated many traitors with his superior bending before the sheer masses overwhelmed killed him with their superior numbers being the only way that a Chosen could be defeated. She had also announced that Entwhistle was to be posthumously rewarded with the Flame of Enlightenment for his bravery, courage, and dedication to Hermione's enlightened laws. Harry couldn't help but laugh at the fact that Hermione had covered up that the Avatar had been present due to the use of lavabending or the fact that Entwhistle had died without much of a fight or taking out any of the LFTM.

It was classic propaganda and bluster as Hermione's iron grip on power began to loosen. Her lies were an indication of how perilous the situation for her was but it also made her more dangerous as she was cornered now and would likely do anything to maintain her hold on power.

Finally after 3 days of almost nonstop driving, Team Avatar were within 5 hours of the Capital and decided to pull over in order to plan their next move. They had pulled off on a side road to a scenic view area and set up a meal. While Ron and Ginny cooked, Harry made sure the area was clear with his seismic sense before going to grab Pyrites book of safe houses out of the truck. Picking it up and turning to the Capital page Harry marveled at the number of safe houses Pyrites had in Royal Caldera City and the surrounding area.

"How many possibilities?" Neville asked as he accepted a bowl of rice and vegetables from Ginny and sat down on the earth stools Harry had earthbent for them to sit on.

"Let's see." Harry said as he studied the list of safe houses. "There appears to be 18 in the Capital, that is including the industrial district, the harbor and Royal Plaza, and Royal Caldera City itself. Damn I keep forgetting how Pyrites is a rich and paranoid motherfucker. Ranging from a high end mansion on the outskirts of the industrial district, all the way to what I think was actually a brothel in the seediest part of Royal Caldera City. At least I think an establishment that is called The Burning Bush of Defilement is a brothel."

"Yeah it's one of the worst fleabag brothels in the city." Neville said as he began to eat. "Constantly being investigated for various crimes ranging from human trafficking, underage prostitution to money laundering and drug dealing. It's likely still there but I would suggest we not got anywhere near it."

"Agreed." Harry said with a nod as he looked at the list again and began to cross of locations that wouldn't work for them. "Well given the fact that we want to be in the caldera and not near the docks or the industrial district that leaves us with 7 possibilities that are actually within the caldera. Of those 7, two can be ruled out immediately. One is the aforementioned brothel and the other is a long term suite at the most expensive and exclusive hotel in the city so that place almost certainly doesn't exist anymore. Of the remaining 5; one is a second smaller mansion near the palace so again a no go, two are small single room apartments in the two high crime neighborhoods and one is I think a basement of a department store for some reason That leaves one realistic option that can house all of us comfortably, allow us to go unnoticed and is likely still there."

"Cut with the suspense, what is it?" Ron said as he sat down with them having finished serving the food and before he decided to dig into his meal.

"A one story house owned allegedly by a family of commoners that is right up against the caldera wall." Harry said as he studied the entry in the book. "It is in a working class neighborhood and has an attached garage so likely it was not nationalized by Hermione when she seized power."

"Well I say we check that one out and if it is a no go then we try the apartments and split up between them." Luna said and the others all nodded in agreement.

"Hopefully there are no nosy neighbors there." Harry said with a smile. "Though I wouldn't put it past Pyrites to make the house soundproof or have a plethora of other unofficial modifications to the house."

"We should get in late to try and avoid avoid suspicion." Ron said as he set down his now empty bowl. "But as a precaution, I suggest Harry and Ginny pose as the family and if asked, make something up about being long distance delivery people so you aren't in very often."

"Thanks Ron, not your best plan but I'll take it." Ginny said with a smile.

They spent the rest of the meal eating and talking about what to expect when they reached the Capital and saw it for the first time in almost 6 years. Harry expected there to be enough propaganda to put Ozai to shame from his own propaganda during the 100 year war, which was saying something given how much propaganda Ozai used. In addition, there would likely be a lot of images of Hermione and proclamations of her glorious and benevolent reign and of the equality she has created in the her Fire Utopia. All of it would be to try and foster her cult of personality.

With the meal over, they packed up the truck and set off for the Capital. Finally, they were about to reach the Capital and hopefully the last stage of their attempt to liberate the Fire Nation from Hermione's tyranny.

* * *

Harry was right about the propaganda and cult of personality, but he had underestimated the scale of it. Harry had taken the wheel for the last leg of the journey with Ginny up front with him just in case they needed to explain their cover and had driven them into the city. As soon as they neared the city Harry saw a welcome sign for the Capital that set the tone for what to expect in the Capital.

WELCOME TO THE CRUCIBLE OF ENLIGHTENMENT! THE CAPITAL OF THE FIRE UTOPIA, THE ONLY LEGITIMATE, ENLIGHTENED, AND TRULY EQUAL NATION IN THE WORLD. HERE WAS WHERE EMPRESS HERMIONE THE SAVIOR ACHIEVED ENLIGHTENMENT A DECADE AGO AND KNEW THAT IT WAS HER DESTINY TO FREE US FROM THE SHACKLES OF THE FIRELORDS' TYRANNY AND USHER IN THIS NEW AND GLORIOUS AGE OF ENLIGHTENMENT IN THE FIRE UTOPIA.

"Great, well at least that explains what the fuck the Crucible of Enlightenment is." Ginny said as she read out the sign as they passed. "I was wondering what that was when it was mentioned on the radio the other day."

It was just getting dark when they reached the industrial district that was part of the Capital and saw the first signs of Hermione's propaganda machine. Large banners and flags proclaiming the glories of the Fire Utopia and of the equality Hermione had restored to them. Interspersed along with posters of Hermione in heroic and moving poses to try and show her as the hero of the Fire Utopia that she thought she was and not the tyrannical villain that she actually was.

As they reached the switchbacks that lead up to the city, they passed a massive stone statue of Hermione in full military regalia, including the rank insignia for a full general, with a stern look on her face as she looked out towards the east as if to say; "Bring it world. I'm here to stay." Harry had to give it to her as they drove up the long switchbacks, she had marketed herself well and he wouldn't be surprised to if her approval in the Capital was higher than in the countryside that she exploited, oppressed and ignored.

When they got to the other side of the switchbacks they were finally able to see the Capital for the first time since they had flown in after fleeing the Elemental Academy during Voledmort's coup against the United Republic. It honestly hadn't changed much since Harry had last been here. Even the mansions surrounding the palace had remained, likely to house the Chosen and other senior elites in Hermione's autocratic government so as to reward their loyalty to her and ensure that they were elevated above the common citizen.

Once they got down the other side of the switchbacks and onto the streets of Royal Caldera City, Harry took the ring road that extended roughly around the edge of the caldera until they reached the district where the safe house was supposed to be located. By this point night had fallen and there wasn't much traffic or people out at this hour, an oddity for a city of the size and importance that the Fire Nation Capital had.

Harry had a feeling that this was the norm under Hermione's brutal regime. Back when he had last been here, the streets had been vibrant at nights with parties, revelers, and all manners of things to do once night fell, even if they had stayed in the Royal Palace during their stay with Firelord Iroh. Now, though, it felt empty, dead, as if something had smothered it and in a sense it had been smothered by the laws that Hermione had forced upon the nation. Harry doubted that there was much fun for the average citizen in the caldera anymore, a sad state of affairs for a once prosperous nation brought low by the lust for power of a ruthless despot. Harry was here now, he would ensure that he saw the city restored to its former glory as soon as he could manage it.

It took another 15 minutes of searching before they found the safe house. It was set into the caldera wall along with a row of identical houses in a small, average, neighborhood. Now was the moment of truth. Had the house survived Hermione's purge of establishments associated with nobility or wealth in the name of equality. It shouldn't have been purged as it had no connection to that scene but given Hermione's unpredictability and instability, Harry wasn't certain.

Pulling up to the small driveway Harry parked the truck and he and Ginny got out. He wasn't wearing any shoes so he could 'see' the area around them and could tell that no one was in the house or on the street. Most of the other houses were occupied by families so it would appear that this was a family neighborhood, likely of blue collar workers. A perfect place to lie low while in the city.

Taking Ginny's hand, they walked to the front door as any couple would. As expected, the house was locked, so Harry took out the provided key that had been with the safe house book and inserted it into the lock. The key turned and the door opened with a slight creak of old hinges.

Harry sighed in relief and as Ginny entered with their bag. Harry then went to the truck and tapped it to alert the others that the coast was clear. Ron, Neville, and Luna all hopped out and hurried into the house while Harry kept watch for nosy neighbors, the others bringing a set of supplies with them. Once they were all in Harry locked up the truck and followed them into the house, locking and then finding the bolt to secure the door behind him.

Harry turned to see that Ginny had turned on the lamps in the house to a low burn so that it would look like a couple up late to anyone looking at the closed curtains of the house. It was a simple, well appointed place in keeping with the mean income of the area. Nothing fancy or showy, just a sofa that looked like it would unfold into a bed, a small kitchen and dining room with a sturdy looking table and 6 chairs. It was all open plan. A bathroom was on one side next to a guest bedroom and on the other side was the master suite. There was also a well stocked bookcase by the table.

Ron had gone into the spare bedroom to set up his and Luna's things while Ginny and Harry would take the master suite and Neville, as the single one in their group, got the sofa. Neville had sat down on the sofa and closed his eyes to rest for a moment while Luna was busy inspecting the kitchen.

"It's relatively well stocked with easy to make food." Luna said returning from the kitchen. "Most of it is probably past it's sell by date but given the preservatives in the shit that is here, I would expect them to still be edible. This was a safe house that could be dormant for years so Pyrites would likely only stock food that takes a long time to expire."

"Well given the fact that as soon as Hermione learns more and learns our faces we won't be able to leave I suggest we make do with it." Ron said coming out of the bedroom. "Once posters with our faces are put up, we can dispense with the disguises such as facial hair and dye jobs. Also, we should have a watch, at least for tonight. I'll work on an alert system that we can install later but for now I say we always have someone by the window keeping an eye out just in case something happens."

"I agree." Harry said walking to the table and grabbing one of the chairs from around the dinning table and taking it to the curtained window. "But double check this place first. Knowing the paranoid and extremely cautious fucker that is Pyrites, it wouldn't surprise me to learn that he had a secret room here to monitor the area. You said he had something like that in the warehouse out in Fire Fountain City, and he had at least one secret compartment in the his own mansion by the palace. A place of this size, there is little doubt in my mind that Pyrites doesn't have some tricks here."

"Well Harry you are the only one of us who can see with seismic sense so why don't you check." Ginny said cause Harry to slap his forehead.

"Of course, damn I have been awake for way too long." Harry said as he concentrated.

"Nargles will do that to you." Luna said helpfully but Harry chose to ignore her as he focused on his 'sight'.

At first he didn't find anything amiss except for a basement beneath the house. Harry paused at that. The basement was directly below the living room, not where he was expecting it to be given the house's layout. Looking a little more, he found that the sofa was over the entrance to what he thought was the basement.

"Neville, get up and help me move this sofa." Harry said walking over to one end. Grumbling, Neville got up and helped Harry with the task.

They lifted the sofa, moved it, and found a trapdoor set into the floor. A small, complex looking, hand sized, metal locking mechanism was set into one end but when Harry tried to metalbend it he discovered it was made of platinum, which meant that whatever was under the trapdoor was very important. Not wanting to rip up the floor with earthbending, Harry bent down to inspect the trapdoor.

"Anyone know how to open this." Harry said looking at it intently. The others gathered around studying before Neville spoke.

"It's a firebending mechanism, though I have never seen one that small or made out of metal as it could potentially be damaged by firebending if one was to use a brute force or high heat approach."

"Remember what Iroh told us about Pyrites." Ron said thoughtfully as he inspected the mechanism. "Our tame Death Eater is a master firebender with arguable the best temperature control in the world. It would require someone with the ability to create a small amount of flame at a temperature hot enough to open the lock but low enough to prevent melting it from prolonged exposure to the flame and I bet the inner workings of the lock are small and would melt relatively easily. Impressive work, there are only a few firebenders in the nation, let alone the city, who would have the discipline to do so."

"Or a pissed off earthbender with no time for it." Harry said getting ready to just earthbend it. He didn't have the time for Pyrites' games, especially when the fucker wasn't around.

"I wouldn't if I were you Harry." Ron said raising his hand to stay Harry's earthbending. "Pyrites may have set up traps to destroy whatever was down there."

Harry sighed. Ron was right. Pyrites may have created a trap so that only firebending would work in opening it, it was just the kind of thing the cunning wanker would do. Turning to Neville Harry asked.

"Can you open it? My firebending isn't as controlled as yours."

"I can try." Neville said with a slightly concerned tone. "I'm decent when it comes down to temperature, I started off only able to produce cooler flames than most in our year but I have improved a lot since then. Stand back, I will need to focus on it."

Harry watched as Neville placed his palm on the mechanism and closed his eyes. Harry knew his friend was concentrating hard on his temperature control and waited as patiently as he could while Neville focused on his bending. A few minutes later there was an audible click and the trap door swung down on a well oiled mechanism. A ladder was there leading into the darkness. Neville swayed slightly and Ron had to pull him back from the hole before the firebender pitched headfirst into the basement.

"Well done Neville." Ron congratulated as he helped Neville sit back on the floor. "That was impressive control."

"I had to start off as cool as possible and heat up from there." Neville said wincing and Harry noticed a small but nasty looking burn on Neville's hand from the hot metal he had been pushing his fire into. Ginny quickly healed it as best she could but Harry knew that it would take a few more sessions to fully heal.

"Never tried to focus that hard on the heat of my flames." Neville said as he sighed in relief as Ginny healed the burn. "I know it is a hard talent to master, hence why most firebenders don't bother learning it, but its damn exhausting and ingenious as so few of us could do that. We firebenders aren't known for our excellent patience after all. I know I wouldn't have been able to do it unless I had focused the way I did and I had to incur a burn to ensure that it worked."

"Well thank you Neville." Harry said with a smile. "We will leave it open from now in, Lie down and rest, we can take it from here."

Neville didn't even nod before he fell back and was snoring on the floor of the house. Harry and Ron lifted him as best they could and put him on the sofa to sleep a little more comfortably while the girls descended into the basement to inspect what Pyrites had hidden there.

"Guys, get down here." Ginny called out. "You're gonna want to see this."

Harry quickly followed his fiance's instructions and descended the ladder into the basement. He was soon joined by Ron at the bottom of said ladder. The room was a small, well equipped, command center with a police scanner, radio, and sensors that appeared to be tied to various areas of the street outside.

"Told you that he may have something like this." Harry said trying not to sound smug and failing miserably. "Any idea what all this shit is?"

"Standard police surveillance gear." Ron said looking over everything with a trained eye that the others didn't have. "Wireless monitors that let you know whenever someone breaches the perimeter, police scanners likely set to the frequency of the Royal Police Force, a radio to send messages via Morse Code, recording equipment and storage tapes, everything that one would expect to find in a police station. It appears to be off though. Give me a few hours and I'll have it up and running as this stuff is about 10 years out of date but likely still functional. Why don't you and Ginny go to sleep Harry while Luna takes the first watch and I figure this shit out. If I can't work it in a few hours, I will relieve Luna for the rest of the night."

"I have other needs you could relieve as well." Luna said rubbing up to her fiancé and not so subtly grabbing his crotch.

"We know Luna." Harry said trying to not sigh at her or look at her provocative actions. "Alright, yeah I am going to find a book to read for a bit but otherwise I am exhausted."

"Same." Ginny said climbing the ladder. Harry and Luna followed her leaving Ron to look over the equipment.

Luna sat down on the chair by the window and peaked out to make sure no one was there. Harry knew she would have a long watch ahead of her, but it was necessary at the moment to have someone on watch. Ginny had already gone into the bedroom so Harry walked over to the bookcase. He hadn't been able to read much over the last few weeks and now that they had a little down time he decided to see what titles Pyrites had.

The spymaster had an interesting mix of classic novels from around the world and factual books on politics, philosophy and history. Some extolled bending supremacy views, others spoke on the natural order and yet more where philosophical discourses on balance and bending. None looked like the stuff Harry would normally ready but Pyrites did have certain tastes that Harry did not share. He was about to give up when he found a thick, old, volume on the bottom shelf that caught his eye. Pulling it out and setting it on the table he looked at the title on the cover.

 _A History of the Bending Arts and the Evolution of the Sub-Bending Disciplines. By Dr. Batilda Bagshot PhD, Professor of History at Ba Singe Se University._

Intrigued at the possible contents of the book, all tiredness left Harry's body. Sitting down at the table so as to not wake Ginny, Harry opened the book and began to read.

 **This is one of the several filler chapters that are needed to set the scene for the final, climatic, chapters of this book. As such, the next few chapters will be more laying the groundwork for the big chapters to come. As always** **, keep letting me know what you think of this story in the reviews and any questions asked in reviews or PMs to me will be answered at the start of next week's chapter when it is released, whenever that is given my schedule. Until next week.**

 **Stringdog**


	18. Chapter 18

**Here is the 18th chapter of Book 2. Sorry that this is late, no excuses other than my real life commitments. I will try to avoid being late and for the next week or so I shouldn't be that busy, but I cannot guarantee that there will be no more delays. Nothing else to add here so sit back and enjoy the latest installment in Avatar: The Tale of Harry. Book 2: Equality.**

 **Disclaimer: As always I won nothing related to either of these two great works of fiction.**

 **Chapter 18**

Harry stood towards the back of a large crowd that had eagerly gathered in the area in front of the Royal Palace. Team Avatar had been in the capital for 2 weeks now and they had seldom left the safe house. Only Harry and Ginny had left the house in the that time in order to give off the impression that they were the couple who owned it and had returned from their long delivery for a break in the city. They had stayed out of the way of the other neighbors but given that the situation had gotten worse in the last 2 weeks, they had had little to no contact with anyone who lived in their quiet neighborhood.

In the last two weeks Hermione had released sketches that vaguely represented them from when they had been in Fire Fountain City, along with Ron, Neville and Luna's sketches, identifying them as the ringleaders of the LFTM. They were all wanted for, and convicted of, terrorism, as well as crimes against the Fire Utopia, the Fire Empress and her version of equality but no reward had been offered for their arrest as Hermione had felt it the civic duty of her citizens to turn them in for nothing other than the protection of her nation.

That had been a big mistake by someone who claimed to be the smartest person in the world. By not playing to the inherent greed of humanity, believing that those who followed her laws were above something as petty as monetary greed because she had eliminated it from society by eliminating the former nobility, Hermione had managed to help them out as it made people less willing to turn them if they even managed to connect any of them to the sketches that had been circulated. Had there been a reward then Harry would have expected someone to have tried to turn them in for the money, but the lack of one meant that only those who actually worshiped Hermione the way she expected to be would do anything if they saw any member of Team Avatar.

Hermione had also been bringing in the nearest military forces that could be spared without damaging the blockade or the military presence needed in the countryside to subject the people to her laws, along with as many Enforcers of Equality as possible and secretly bringing in all the local Blades. All Chosen not already in the Crucible of Enlightenment were expected to make their way to the Capital to protect Hermione once they wrapped up whatever pressing business they had in their assigned districts outside of the Capital.

In addition to the increased presence of military and other authorities in the Capital, Hermione had imposed a curfew in the caldera forcing all civilians to be in their houses by 9pm unless they had approved permission to be out due to night shift work or at one of Hermione's almost daily rallies to support her crusade against the terrorist threatening her wonderful and glorious nation.

These rallies had been a weekly event for the entirety of Hermione's reign to introduce new laws, slander and lie about the other nations, present the latest propaganda about how great the nation was, publicly condemn and convict any who had opposed Hermione, and to help foster her cult of personality. Now they were practically daily, sometimes twice a day, and Harry took it as a sign that Hermione was losing her grip on power and was desperately trying to regain it.

That was where Harry was at the moment. He was standing in the back of the rally in a long, black, hooded clock covering his head and masking his identity. Few in the crowd were giving him a second glance, likely assuming him to be one of the Blades who prowled the streets looking for dissidents to rob and murder and thus keeping well clear of him. The people assuming that Harry was a Blade weren't far off as he had taken the clock from a Blade member who he had surprised him in an alley the other day. Harry had easily subdued the attacker and between the cloak and the swords on his back people tended to ignore him out of fear that he was one of the Blades.

In addition, he and Ron had begun to regrow their shaved hair to throw off anyone from the released sketches that showed their either completely of partially shaved heads. Both had shaved their facial hair as well given the beards that used to sport were in the sketches as well but still it didn't hurt to be cautious.

Now he was doing a little recon at Hermione's 20th speech and rally in the last 14 days. She was standing on top of the wall that surrounded the palace with cameras and microphones on her to pass her message and Chosen bodyguards behind her or at the base of the wall to protect her from any attempts on her life.

Banners with her image and the Fire Utopia crest hung from the wall along with signs proclaiming the equality and enlightenment that Hermione had provided to them. There were also many large VV screens showing her so that the crowd could get a close up look of their fearless leader as she denounced those who had threatened her and reassured the public that she would prevail at all costs.

Hermione herself was dressed in her usual military outfit with full regalia of her station, complete with the Flame of Enlightenment around her neck and several other medals on her chest proclaiming her service to the Fire Utopia, equality, and enlightened thought. She had awarded all of them to herself as soon as she had killed Iroh but Hermione always claimed that she earned the plethora of medals she wore. Her gold crown of flames, bedecked with rubies, shone brightly on her head, the engraved open book of the Enlightened carved into the center of it, something Harry had never noticed before. Harry could also see the image of Raava on Hermione's sleeve with flames in her tendrils showing her to be a Chosen firebender, an image that deeply offended him and Raava because he knew that Raava would never endorse a monster like Hermione.

The self-proclaimed Empress had a confident, steely look upon her face that Harry knew came from the fact that she was absolutely certain that everything she said was right, true and perfect for the world and none of what she said should ever be questioned. Hermione was smiling down upon her cheering citizens, those who actually believed the bullshit she sprouted and came to these rallies to show their support for her.

The area was packed but Harry had a feeling that for every supporter here to listen to her speak, two more had stayed away either out of fear, dislike or disagreement with Hermione's tyrannical regime or simply didn't give enough shits to come out and support here. Still Hermione would play up and lie about the attendance at her rallies, she always did as it helped her attempts to create a cult of personality.

"Loyal citizens of the Fire Utopia, thank you for coming out and showing support for your wise, generous, enlightened, and benevolent Empress in these trying and troubling times." Hermione began once the crowd had quieted down in anticipation of her speech.

She spoke in in a loud, confident, forceful voice that came from years of giving speeches and an unwavering belief in every word she spoke. Harry had to give it to the cunt, she could give a good speech and talked a good game when addressing the goals, but never talking of the methods she stooped to in order to achieve her goals. There was little doubt that her oratory skills had helped gain her supporters from the gullible, the naive, the desperate, the bleeding hearts, and the opportunists who saw Hermione as a tool to their own goals. Still, Harry knew the reality of Hermione's words, he was just listening to her so as to know what her current state of mind was.

"As you know, our glorious and beloved Fire Utopia is under assault from within by monsters, terrorists and heinous criminals who wish to return you to the tyranny and the shackles of the Firelords. This cancer that is plaguing our nation wishes to silence the enlightened words, views, beliefs, laws and leadership that I, and I alone, can provide you with. They desire for a return to the discrimination against all nonbenders and non nobles. They preach unenlightened and incorrect views that are illegal for good reason as they would pollute the minds of those too weak to see the truth that I speak to you. If they succeed, they will bring back the vicious, oppressive, and cruel laws of the past, laws that I have worked tireless to overturn and heal the damage that those laws caused. They wish to plunge you into darkness again after I have worked tirelessly to bring you into the light after centuries, nee millennia, in the dark cast by the long shadows of the Firelords."

Hermione paused at the crescendo of her point to allow the crowd to cheer at her words. Harry knew that what she said was not the truth as the Fire Nation had been free under Iroh, the oppression and darkness came from Hermione and her dictatorial regime. Yet, despite the reality outside the Capital, those in the Capital who had come to this rally were Hermione's most fanatical supporters who weren't in one of the authoritarian groups she used to maintain power. These people believed in Hermione and they were cheering at her words. Harry couldn't bring himself to even fake it, all he could do was wait it out until the cheering died down again and Hermione resumed her speech.

"Remember that without my enlightened and correct views, we would be nothing but slaves and animals to the purebloods and the nobility to be used for whatever dark desire they have. Without my guiding hand directing you towards the light and my guiding voice telling you what to do, what to think, how to act, how to live your life the way I want it to be lived, you would not have the equality, the peace and the prosperity that you have today. These traitors and terrorists wish to remove me and thus remove my views and the equality that I have given you, we can never let that happen. I urge you all to work with the authorities to help bring these heinous monsters to justice. My Chosen, my Enforcers of Enlightenment, my FUICEE and my military are here to aid you in following my laws to the letter, go to them with any suspicious activity that you notice that even has a trace of treason against me and the Fire Utopia."

Once again Hermione paused to bask in the adoration of her few supporters. Harry just kept a neutral and controlled expression on his face as Hermione sprouted her usual bullshit. Thus was too dictatorial, she clearly wanted to control everything in the Fire Utopia and call it equality. It was all more fuel for the fire that would bring her down and to the justice she so richly deserved. Still, he had to listen to this garbage so that they could report on it later and that was just what he did.

"You all now know the faces of the 5 convicted traitors of the illegal LFTM terrorist cell. They may claim to be working on behalf of my citizens by opposing my enlightened laws, but do not let this fool you my loyal citizens, they are merely servants of the Avatar and the other unenlightened and oppressive leaders of the world. These monsters are trying to silence me, end my legitimate government and destroy enlightened laws that they all know that they should have on their books as well. However, because of the evil Avatar and his lies against me in his smear and defamation campaign that he has been waging since before I became your glorious Empress, the other nations cannot follow our example and our enlightened laws. They are all afraid of him, only I have the courage to stand up to him and his racist, intolerant and backwards views."

Once again Hermione paused so that her few remaining rabid supporters not associated with one of her various groups of oppression could cheer at her words. Once again Harry had to control his expressions and emotions to remain neutral and not accidentally break something with his bending. He could believe the sheer hypocrisy and lies of Hermione's statement. She was the one who had embraced evil, intolerant and backwards views while also launching a smear and defamation campaign against him while she held power in the Fire Nation.

"The LFTM do not serve you the people, they oppress and murder you at every opportunity." Hermione said as soon as the screaming had died down and Harry snapped his attention back to her self-aggrandizing speech. "They are intolerant, racist, bigoted elitists who wish to force their own views upon and restore the tyranny of the past. All you need are my views to guide you, by following me without question and accepting my views for the truth that they are, I will guarantee you that you will prosper and be equal in this nation."

By this point Harry was used to the mental gymnastics that Hermione was using to justify her tyrannical regime. It just still angered him that Hermione claimed that they wanted to force their own views on the people of the Fire Nation, which they didn't, but still thrust her own views on the people, many of whom did not want them. Grinding his teeth to avoid giving away any other reaction, Harry returned his focus to Hermione's rant against his liberation movement.

"The LFTM claims that I am a tyrant but as you all know, I am not nor have I ever been a tyrant. I am an enlightened leader who knows what is best for every single person on this planet and not just in the glorious Fire Utopia, where the people already know the truth that I preach. Remember, I have restored equality to you that had been denied you for millennia under the evil of the Firelords. I am the first ruler in history to ever silence racism, bigotry and intolerance in her nation. I have ensured that you are only exposed to the views that I know to be true, pure, tolerant and equal. That is all any of you need. So long as a guiding, enlightened ruler such as myself is in charge, you need not worry about anything so long as you believe and follow me without question."

Hermione paused at that to bask in the adulation the crowd was giving her. Harry just stared at her smirking expression on the large VV in front of the Palace walls, imaging her expression when she was hauled into a court in chains, or at the point defeated her. It was going to be a sweet day for justice when Hermione was removed from power. Again, once the cheers died down, Hermione returned to her speech.

"Remember that the forces that I have created are here for you protection and act under my direct authority to preserve my enlightened laws and the equality that has made the Fire Utopia the greatest nation in history and the envy of the world. I thank you, my many supporters, and remember all that I have done for you. No matter what, I will continue to do to ensure that the Fire Utopia survives these troubling times that we have found ourselves in because of the actions a few radical tyrants who wish to enslave you once more. Do not support these convicted terrorists and traitors to my nation, any who do will be branded one as well and suffer the same fate as the 5 LFTM members. Support your enlightened and benevolent Empress for I and I alone know what is best for you."

Harry couldn't listen to anymore of Hermione's bullshit, so he turned and left the square, ignoring any parting words Hermione might have for her limited supports. No one stopped him as he left the square with his head down and headed back into the city as the cheers of Hermione's supports continued and she continued to spew her hypocritical lies and tyranny.

Harry didn't disagree that equality was a noble goal that all nations should strive to achieve to the best of their abilities, so long as it was equality of opportunity. Hermione, however, had warped her concept of equality to the point that she believed wholeheartedly that only her view was acceptable to the world and that the way to preserve that was to prevent, discriminate against and silence any views that contradicted her. In her goal of equality, Hermione had become the worst tyrant in history.

As Harry walked through the city, deep in thought, he wandered into the trades and arts district without noticing where he was going. It had been the same district under Iroh but had suffered greatly under Hermione as she had censored the trades so that they could only support her and her views, anything else had led to arrests and at time executions. Harry continued until he came to a store that had large vats of sand outside, and was giving off a lot of heat.

Pausing in the door Harry looked into the store and saw the sand being heated and molded in a furnace, being turned slowly into glass, by a muscular young man. There was an old vender, likely the glass blower's master, out front with a few of his wares on offer on a display table who noticed Harry staring in interest at the actions of his apprentice.

"Can I 'elp ye?" The older man asked in a think, common accent.

"Yeah I have a question." Harry said still looking at the younger glass blower. "Does sand always get used in making glass?"

"Pretty much." The man replied his brow creased at Harry's odd question.

"How is it made?" Harry continued. "If you don't mind me asking."

"We 'eat the sand up, mix it with other necessary materials, then mold it into what we want." The man replied, giving Harry a quizzical look from under a wide brimmed hat Harry only just noticed the man was wearing.

"Really." Harry murdered, an idea coming to him. "And how pure is your glass? As in, if it were metal would it be like platinum or steel."

"I have nary an idea." The man said clearly confused at Harry's question. "All I know is 'ow to make the stuff. With the current laws on supplies and access to 'em, we 'ave to use more sand than normal but it still produces decent glassware, but that's more to do with skill than materials."

"Very well, do you have any sheets of plain glass?" Harry asked pulling out a few notes that the man suddenly took a keen interest in. "Nothing fancy mind you, just a small plain will suffice."

"Aye, I may be able to 'elp ye." The man said with a nod and a greedy gleam in his eye. "How much glass do yer want."

"Let's say about the size of an average book's cover." Harry said trying to estimate how much he would need.

The man slowly got up, went inside and returned a moment later with a sheet of glass roughly the size Harry had requested. He placed it on the table that was in front of Harry.

"25 herms." The old vendor said formally. Harry was in no mood to haggle so he just passed over the required notes and took the glass tablet with a nod of thanks to the old man.

* * *

Harry spent the rest of the walk back thinking about the task he had just decided to undertake. He had been looking for something like this for years, pretty much ever since he had mastered sandbending thus maximizing his earthbending his abilities, and when he was least expecting it he had potentially found it.

Still, though, if they weren't forced to lay low for a while to give Pyrites the time to find and recruit the rebel groups, Harry would have had to put the project on the back burner until Hermione was brought to justice.

As Harry neared the house he retracted the soles of his boots and closed his eyes so that he could confirm that the area around the house was clear. Once he got to the house, Harry quickly unlocked it, entered, and turned to re-lock the door and then bolt it as he knew all the others were in the house.

Turning back Harry looked over his friends. Neville was asleep on the sofa, snoring lightly. Luna would be down in the basement monitoring the surveillance gear that ensured they knew the comings and goings of the area. Judging by the sounds coming from the bathroom, Ginny was taking a bath and Harry had learned the hard way to never bother Ginny when she was in the bath. Only Ron was up and free, sitting at the table with mug of beer on it while he loudly sharpened one of his many hunting knives with a wet stone.

Going to the kitchen to grab a bottle of water, Harry returned to the table and put the glass slab on it causing Ron to look at him up and raise an eyebrow though not enough to get him to stop his sharpening which Harry knew Ron could do blindfolded. Harry sat down, sighed heavily and removed his hood.

"What the matter?" Ron asked turning his eyes back to the knife and running the wet stone over the blade with an audible scrapping noise but Harry knew that Ron would give him his full attention.

"It's just all this fucking political shit that's going on." Harry said leaning back in the chair, opening the bottle and taking a long drink of the cool liquid. "First we had Voldemort who was a far right fucking asshole and now we have a far left bitch oppressing an entire nation, with both being fucking psychopaths. Like, I know Pyrites explained a bit to us on the way the to Western Air Temple, but I still don't understand how some of these fuckers believe the intolerant, oppressive, bullshit that people sprout."

"Depends on the side I guess." Ron said idly as he inspected his knife. "All it takes is a concept to be warped or exploited by one side and the opposition will react with the same vehemence. As a result, there is a shift further to the extremes. They play off one another, especially when led by fanatical and charismatic leaders who believe the crap they are saying as if it is gospel."

"Explain?" Harry asked furrowing his brow at his best friend. He knew that Ron had studied political theory more over the last few years due to the opponents they had faced but they had never spoken about this.

"Well take Voldemort, the Death Eaters and the Purist Movement that we faced 5 years back." Ron said as he returned to sharpening his knife. "From what I can gather, through both my own studies and my interviews with the few surviving Death Eaters, they were motivated by a return to the glory days of the past, or at least their own view of glory days. These people were benders but not all purebloods or even halfbloods, they were benders who felt that the progressive nonbenders rights movement that came about in the aftermath of Amon's death had gone too far and begun to discriminate against benders in the name of ensuring nonbenders were equal to benders. Now did it always do that, of course not, but did the movement go too far at times, of course it did."

"It did?" Harry interrupted in surprise.

Harry knew of the nonbenders rights movement that had risen up in the wake of Amon's Equalist Movement to address the legitimate issues Amon had raised, though gone about in the wrong way, but he had been unaware of how far the movement had gone. By the time Harry moved to the United Republic to attend the Elemental Academy, equality in the nation had pretty much been achieved as far as he knew. Only the Purists were making a noise about rights at that point.

"The affirmative action laws, implemented under President Raiko, did actively discriminate against benders." Ron said inspecting his knife again. "It took Korra and then President Jenkins to correct the problem via the courts. Unfortunately, by that point Voldemort had already begun his war, using the affirmative action laws as part of his recruiting tools, and Jenkins lost reelection to then Chief of Police, Chief Minchum. Now don't get me wrong, Raiko's goals and aims were born of good intentions to prevent another Amon, but the methods used were flawed and as such it cause animosity. Amon and his movement did initially set nonbenders back a bit but Korra worked tirelessly to ensure that the issues that lead to the rise of Amon were addressed after his death."

"But as you pointed out, it wasn't well done." Harry said putting down the now empty bottle.

"Correct, some of what they did went too far and it lead to animosity from the average working class bender community." Ron agreed with a nod. "Are all of them racist assholes? Of course not and it is a gross overstatement to say that all are racists, bigots and intolerant assholes just because of a few bad apples. Most working class benders back then just felt like their rights were being infringed upon and only resorted to fighting back when their issues were ignored, at least that's what I got from interrogating many in the various prisons. It was this frustration and anger that Voldemort tapped into to fuel his army. Of course there were the real hardcore racists, the extremists who wanted to purify the bloodlines and all that vile nonsense but those were the Death Eaters and other senior Purists, not the average foot soldier. Voldemort, no matter how racist, evil and sadistic he was, he was still a charismatic leader who could speak to the masses on their level, that's how he managed to build up such a support base and persuade them to fight for him. Overall, it was a bunch of misguided individuals trying in a very bad way to reclaim what they felt they had lost."

"Surely there could have been a better way to solve this than by violence?" Harry asked. "Kora could have cut Voldemort off a lot earlier and we wouldn't have had a war that was on and off for 25 years and cost countless lives in the process."

"You're right but alas the aftermath of Amon and Kuvira was probably too fresh in the minds of the United Republic leaders and from the records, they honestly thought that they were doing what was right." Ron said with a shrug. "Should the courts have taken the current situation into account rather than history when dealing with the discrimination against benders that precipitated Voldemort's rise, probably. However, I dunno if any of the world leaders wanted address that. As a result, the average working class bender who was not the target of the laws but affect by them felt like they had little choice but to turn to violence. Remember on the flip side that is what led to the Equalist Movement. Sometimes the only way to change the world for the better is in the aftermath of war, the wounds that led to conflict can be addressed and healed in the aftermath. I hope that we never come to that again but we are only human. You are one man Harry, you can't do everything."

"Makes sense." Harry said after thinking for a moment on Ron's words. "I know that I can only do so much, look at where we are because we ignored the threat of Hermione to focus on Voldemort. Still, as the Avatar, I have to do my best."

"And you have." Ron said looking Harry on the eye. "No one doubts that. We are here now and we will win, the Fire Nation will not suffer a day longer than it already has."

You're right." Harry said firmly. "I will bring the cunt here to justice and free the Fire Nation."

"You have done it with Voldemort." Ron said. "I know you will do it with Hermione as well."

Harry just nodded as he thought back to what Ron had said about the origins of the Purity Wars. Overall, the Purist Movement was how Harry had seen it as well. True there had been problems on both sides but violence, discrimination and hate was not the answer.

Unfortunately leaders like Lucius had fueled the movements and of course Voldemort was a skilled leader and a charismatic individual. Fortunately, that was in the past. Now Harry had another charismatic leader who had twisted her views to justify her evil to take care of, views Harry understood about as well as he did those of the Purists.

"What of the Enlightened and Chosen?" Harry asked after a moment's thought.

"They are a little different from the Purists." Ron said pausing in his work for a moment to think. "They are motivated by a warped sense of justice, at least the Enlightened are. The Chosen are more of a fighting and enforcement force than an ideological that sprouted as a force to counter Voldemort's assertion that first generation benders are the weakest and as a way for the Enlightened to gain followers devoted to their cause. What better way to convert benders to your cause then to tell them that they are special, different from others, and that difference makes them the best. It's a seductive message."

"I can certainly see that." Harry said with a nod. The Chosen, though ideologically devoted to Hermione, were more warriors for her brand of social justice than they were an ideological movement the way the Purist or the Enlightened were.

"Leaving aside the Chosen for the moment then." Harry said. "What about the Enlightened? What have you been able to gleam about them?"

"Ever since their coup, I have had plenty of time to try and understand the Enlightened." Ron said picking up a sheathe and putting the knife away. "I do not doubt that they had pure intentions when they first formed, but they went about it the wrong way, went down the wrong path, and certainly put their faith in an extreme representation of their views in Hermione. They are a group of clearly intelligent individuals who believe that their intelligence makes them perfectly suited to answering all the issues that plague the world."

"Yeah that much is obvious and very elitist if you ask me." Harry muttered thinking about his interactions with Warren and Hermione in the past. "The attitude of I am smarter than you therefore I know what is best for you rubs me the wrong way."

"Oh it is very elitist and that does sum up their attitude very well." Ron said with a nod. "The Enlightened look at the world and when they see an injustice, they think that they know the precise way to solve it. Having a good idea is not a bad thing and some of their ideas do make sense, but as I said, extremes play of each other and as a result of Voldemort, the Enlightened went down the wrong path. Due to actions from the right, which everyone admits came first, the left that the Enlightened represents feel like they only way to achieve their goals is by matching what they perceive to be force, whether or not it is real or perceive, with force of their own. As with Voldemort, they believe that by silencing those who oppose them so as to control all within their own views but they go further. By enforcing their own interpretation of justice without regard for societal, cultural or religious factors due to a perceived injustice, they create the very injustice and intolerance that they are seeking to destroy. They think that all will be perfect if the world follows their views, which is the same as what the Purists thought as neither side gives a shit about those who oppose them. They honestly believe that the ends justify the means and that they are working to correct the mistakes of the past. However as we both know that evil is evil no matter how you excuse it and that one shouldn't punish the world for the sins of their fathers."

"I know." Harry said with a said sigh. "You cannot meet intolerance with intolerance, discrimination with discrimination, hate with hate, the way the Enlightened do. All it does is create this vicious cycle where both sides feed off each other and fuel the other side to greater extremes, as we have seen with the Purists and the Enlightened. As one side get worse it pushes the other further to the extreme and well look at what we are dealing with at the moment. An extremist like Voldemort rises and in a way to counter his extremeness, the Enlightened rise with their own branch of extremism, which Hermione is the head of. How can they not see that they are repeating history?"

"Their answer is to silence and ignore history rather than learning from the mistakes of the past so that the future generations cannot repeat the mistakes of our ancestors." Ron said shaking his head before taking a drink from his beer and continuing. "Just look at the Enlightened. They feel that the only way to end the other's extremism and oppression is by stooping to their level and oppressing their enemies. However, what you really need is open and constructive debate from both sides to find a result that while not what either side initially wanted, it still has elements that are acceptable to both sides. Alas between Voldemort and the Enlightened we are not there yet."

"True." Harry agreed. "Once Hermione is defeated though I feel like we can begin to heal the world from 3 decades of hate, intolerance and violence on both sides."

"Well, it will be down to you and the other World Leaders to heal these wounds and move forward with a more middle path so as to avoid returning to what we have seen in our lifetimes." Ron said with a small smile.

"Don't sell yourself short." Harry said with a smile. "I'm sure one day you will be a World Leader too."

"Perhaps in a few decades if it is the RCPD or United Republic but not the Southern Water Tribe." Ron said with a laugh. "I am way down on the line of succession there. For now though, you will have to fix what needs to be fixed but leaving the things that don't need to be fixed in place. There will always be discord in the world but general discord is healthy as it can lead to finding the right solutions that benefit the most people possible. People will always have differing views, views and attitudes that will change steadily over time but you cannot force the change lest you do more harm than good. Zuko was really good at that once he became Firelord and figured it all out, Kuei too learned over time. Aang and Korra were strong Avatars who made sure the extremes never rose to threaten the world, well not threaten it more than they already had in their times as Aang did have to end the 100 year war and Korra had the Equalist Movement to deal with."

Ron paused for a moment to take another drink of beer, which Harry didn't begrudge his best friend as the redhead had been talking for quite a while. Harry just waited until Ron had finished drinking and resumed talking, thinking over what Ron was saying.

"Harry you will do well, just don't let the hate of both sides get to you." Rom said as he put down his now empty mug. "Remember you, well all of us really as we are Team Avatar, are that beacon of moderation, but only you can be the bringer of balance. If one side puts its thumb on the scale then it shifts the world out of balance, you will have to correct it and we will back you up while there is still breathe in our bodies. You saw that with Voldemort and you can clearly see that imbalance here. It will take time to heal the wounds that Voldemort and Hermione have inflicted upon the world but we all know you can do it and we will be right by your side the whole way."

"Thanks Ron." Harry said feeling a little better after hearing his friends words. "It's what makes the actions of UnaVaatu so damaging when he removed the connection the Avatar had to his or hers past lives. I can only speak to Korra and while she certainly experienced a lot she is only one voice and only one set of experiences. Aang was known to seek advice from at least 4 of his past lives so a much wider range of experiences to draw upon."

"Yes, that was a great blow to the Avatar." Ron said as he picked up the wet stone and began to idly play with it. "But between Amon and Kuvira I think Korra may have some idea what to say so if our attack in a few weeks should fail and we manage to escape, I would suggest reaching out to her again, just in case."

"I will." Harry said with a smile. "She wasn't helpful before but know that we know what it is like here first hand, Korra may be able to provide more advice this time around."

"Good. Now that this pity and self-doubt party is over, could you please tell me what the fuck you are doing with a sheet of plain glass." Ron said as he picked up the sheet of glass to inspect it before placing it back on the table and looking at Harry.

Harry smiled as he could finally reveal his theory and subsequent plan to someone. In response Harry got up, went to the bookcase and picked up the history book he had been reading. He had read it twice now while they had been waiting and he felt that he had everything he needed to proceed with something he had dreamed about for years. Placing the book on the table he slid it over to Ron.

"Have you read that?" Harry asked when all Ron did was quirk an eyebrow at him.

"Can't say that I have." Ron said as he looked at the title of the book. "As you just heard, I have been focusing on the shit Pyrites has here that regards the Purist philosophies and other political viewpoints given what we are up against. I may disagree with them, but I believe one should know both sides on issue before making an informed decision."

"You know I agree with you on that." Harry said with a nod. "But enough politics for one night. We have talked about that topic to death, it's time for something different. As you know I have long been trying to figure out a new sub-bending art for earthbending, or the others but they are harder as I am not a natural in those elements. Course, all of this research has been sporadic as I do have a busy job these days."

"Yeah tell me about it." Ron said with a laugh. "Being the Avatar is a full time job. I have thought about this idea but really it isn't worth my time. Besides healing, blood and plants most alternative forms of waterbending, like alcohol or inkbending, are basically the same thing and not as revolutionary as the others that are known."

"Yes." Harry agreed. "After metal, sand, and lava, it was hard to figure something new out for earth as it seems that all possible variants have been discovered by this point. However, I have been reading Bagshot's accounts of the creation of the sub-bending arts."

"What does it tell you?" Ron asked.

"A lot about the history of how these variants were discovered." Harry said with a wide smile. "Sand and plantbending come from benders adapting to specific environments, the Si Wong Desert and the Foggy Swamp respectfully. While metal and blood were created due to the desperation of Toph and Hama to escape their imprisonment. Then you have arts like healing and combustion that one has to be born with to be a true master it. We can do some rudimentary healing but not on the level of Ginny who was born with an affinity for it. Combustion is pure birth and requires very specific training and meditation to unlock and is beyond any of us. Then both spirit healing and spirit projection require a deep connection with the spirits to achieve. Flight and lava though are different."

"How so?" Ron asked, clearly interested in what Harry was saying.

"Flight requires a specific sacrifice." Harry said. "It is the ultimate culmination of airbending philosophy because it requires freeing oneself of earthly tethers and attachments. Zaheer may have warped Guru Lahima's philosophies but he still did what the guru did and became the first airbender in over 4,000 years to unlock flight. As for lava, other than the fusion of fire and earthbending that only the Avatar can do, it is the least understood of all sub-bending arts. Bolin achieved it with desperation. I did so by hard work and focus on speeding up the earth to the point that it melted. How Ghazan actually discovered it is still a mystery."

"So where is this leading and why do I feel like the glass have something to do with it." Ron said though without any signs of boredom with what Harry was saying. "Not that I am not interested by all this, but as far as I know no one can glassbend, or if it is even possible."

"No one can glassbend." Harry agreed with a nod, his smile still wide. "But let me ask you, do you know how metalbending was discovered and how it works?"

"Course I do." Ron said with a snort. "I may be a waterbender but do work for the RCPD. It was discovered by Toph in order to escape a metal cell that she was being held in at the time. Toph was the only person who could 'see' with earthbending and because of that, she could find the impurities of earth in the metal and use that to bend metal, that is how you metalbenders do it."

"Yes, it is a well-documented ability, and it takes a lot of practice to get proficient at it as metal has less to bend with than earth." Harry said. "I believe it is the same for blood and plantbending right?"

"It is." Ron affirmed. "It requires finding the water within a body or plant and bending that water. There is less than normal but it still allows us to control either an animal or a plant, though bloodbending is illegal for a good reason."

"You have no need to tell me about why bloodbending is illegal." Harry said with an involuntary shiver. "Remember we faced Voldemort."

"True." Ron replied. "Anywhere, what does this have to do with glass."

"Well after I left the bitch's speech, I walked through the art and trades district." Harry said picking up the glass to indicate his purchase.

"Where the blacksmiths, artists, sculptors, scriveners and other similar professions work." Ron said. "I know the area."

"And glass blowers." Harry said with a smile nodding at Ron.

"And..." Ron said with a hint of impatience.

Harry could tell that Ron was getting a little fed up with his game so he decided to end the suspense. It had been fun but Harry was too eager to reveal his theory to Ron to hold it in anymore.

"Well I saw how they make glass." Harry said. "It's heated sand. At least common glass is."

Harry saw Ron look confused before sudden realization hit his best friend. Ron had picked up where Harry was going with this.

"You think you can figure out how to glassbend using a similar technique to metalbending." Ron said and Harry nodded.

"It will be hard as sand is my worst sub-bending skill that is associated with my native element." Harry said. "But it's worth a try."

"Definitely." Ron said with a grin. "Well? What the fuck are you waiting for? Try it already."

"I wanted to make sure my theory wasn't crazy before I attempted it." Harry said as he put the glass slab down, rested his hand on it, and closed his eyes.

Ron didn't respond so Harry decided to focus on the glass. He used his seismic sense to 'see' it the way he when he had tried to learn metalbending. Initially it was invisible unless he used his feet to earthbend. He decided to focus on the glass as he did with metal. It took a while as sand was finer that the ore traces in metal but eventually he had found what he was looking for within the glass.

Most of the sand had been melted so that it turned into glass and that Harry knew he couldn't bent. Instead he focused on the fine amounts of sand in the glass. It took a several minutes but he finally found enough to work with.

Taking hold of the sand the way he had been taught by Master Pomona and in a similar fashion to how he took hold of the earth in metal, Harry focused all his effort on it raised his hand. He felt the glass distort and disfigure though not as much as he had expected it would.

"What the fuck!" Harry heard a female voice.

Opened his eyes to see his fiancé standing over him in a green shirt that he was certain had once been his that Ginny had taken during their time in the Fire Nation, and blue sleeping pants. Her hair was still a little damp and the detailed koi fish tattooed on each of her forearms were displayed for the first time in a while. Ginny seldom showed them off with her usual style and the fact that they indicated her heritage in a nation that had few waterbenders in it and would thus draw unwanted attention.

"Harry did you just bend that sheet of glass?" Ginny asked. Harry looked over to see that Ron was speechless, his mouth hanging open in shock.

"Yes I did." Harry said with a grin of triumph as he used what he had just discovered to levitate the slab of glass, a little shaky at first but steadying it after a moment once he had gotten used to the strange, new, bending he had just discovered.

Harry had done it, he had created a whole new form of earthbending. He messed with the glass a bit as he grew more confident with what he had to do to bend it, before he molded it into a crude blade. He would have to practice a lot more to master it, but once it was done he knew that it could be a game changer in certain circumstances.

"And I do believe I have just given us a really big edge in this war." Harry said with a smirk. "Now all we need is for Pyrites to come through with his end of the deal and then we can finally take this fight to Hermione. Her day of justice is almost at hand."

 **Again sorry that this is so late, real life and my other active story that I write during the week have caused delays. I will try to avoid them in the future but I will not make a promise I know I cannot guarantee. This chapter was mainly about a full understanding, at least from Harry and Ron's perspective, of the Purists and the Enlightened and an attempt to see where they were coming from, as well as Harry discovering glassbending. The ending does set up the next arc of Book 2, which will look at what Pyrites got up too during Team Avatar's adventures. The next few chapters will be slightly filler, slightly backstory, and a set up for the final stretch in Book 2.** ** **That's enough for this chapter** **, keep letting me know what you think of this story in the reviews and any questions asked in reviews or PMs to me will be answered at the start of next week's chapter when it is released, whenever that is given my schedule. Until next week.****

 ** **Stringdog****


	19. Chapter 19

**Here is the 19th chapter of Book 2, for once on time. This chapter is the first in a 4 chapter story arc that takes a step back and looks at events that Harry and Team Avatar had either set in motion when they made the deal with Pyrites and left him to complete his separate mission, or events that Team Avatar did not know about, but are important in setting up the final part of Book 2. They dray inspiration from the 'Zuko Alone' and 'Korra Alone' episodes in how they are set up. The first 2 detail Pyrites and the action he took to fulfill the deal he and Harry made, the second 2 chapters take a look at Hermione and her perspective on, and reaction to, the events that have so far occurred, as well as a look at her coup against the Fire Nation and her policies and actions as the Fire Empress of the Fire Utopia. These are important chapters but they are also filler chapters designed to flesh out the full picture needed to complete Book 2 and ensure that the final chapters make sense. That is all for this note, sit back and enjoy the latest installment in Avatar: The Tale of Harry. Book 2: Equality.**

 **Disclaimer: As always I won nothing related to either of these two great works of fiction.**

 **Chapter 19**

 **Pyrites Tale**

 **Part 1: Preparations, information and introductions.**

After saying goodbye to the Avatar and hoping in the satomobile he had brought with them, Pyrites drove south. His first destination wasn't actually in the south, but he wanted give that impression to anyone who might be watching them in this area of the Fire Nation.

As soon as he was a few miles from the beach and knew that the Avatar and his friends had not followed him, Pyrites pulled over to the side of the road and sighed. At last he was free, well as free as he could possibly hope to be which was more than could be said for any of the other surviving Death Eaters.

Pyrites had had a good feeling that something like this would happen sooner or later, and that there was a possibility that the Avatar would come to him and request Pyrites' unique brand of help. It was part of the reason why he had been so willing to cooperate with someone who not only didn't represent his own views, but actively worked against them in order to see that they were defeated.

Pyrites had long known that his views on the world were extreme views but he didn't care, in his mind he was right and that was all that mattered. Pyrites also knew that he needed to provide the information that he had collected, cataloged and stored for almost a quarter of a century on his Master and fellow Death Eaters in order to get the private prison cell he needed to survive. He had long deduced that Voldemort would have killed him to preserve the information he held if Pyrites was ever caught or possibly even if his cover was blown and he was forced to go on the run.

The Dark Lord had made two mistakes when he had brought Pyrites and his network into his service; the first had been to put all of his spy network and faith in one man, the second was to make Pyrites expendable. Pyrites wasn't one to role over and die.

That was why Pyrites had had the back ups, just in case he was ever captured and discovered for what he truly was, a Death Eater. When the time had come, Pyrites had been able to parlay that information into a deal to secure his safety, ensure that he would not die in prison like the other captured Death Eaters, and show that he could be a valuable asset to the Avatar in the future. Such a valuable asset that he could get his freedom a lot earlier than planned just because of what he could bring to the table in a situation like the one they faced today.

After enjoying his first true moment of freedom in over 5 years, a limited freedom as he wasn't allowed to leave the Fire Nation, but that was still better than the frigid shithole he had called home for the last 5 years, Pyrites returned to the task at hand. He was still a few days from getting his bending back but he could wait to warm up, he didn't need his firebending for the time being, he had other, more important things to focus on then his skills with fire.

Pulling out a map of the Fire Nation that he had stored in the glove box back when he had planned this potential scenario, Pyrites perused it to find the best route to Fire Fountain City from his current location. He knew by heart where all his safe houses were and kept a bag of coded keys in the satomobile to know which key went with which house or apartment, a precaution he had in all his stored vehicles just in case. Finding the best route, Pyrites put the vehicle into drive and began to head south again until he could begin the trek to the east.

Pyrites had chosen to head to Fire Fountain City because one of the key contacts in his secondary, personal, non Voldemort, network lived there. The contact was a nonbender but well connected in the criminal underworld of both Fire Fountain City and the nation as a whole. The man was an expert forger and given the new government in the Fire Nation, Pyrites would need new papers to blend in. Plus the man would have a few key items stored for Pyrites that he would need going forward. They had been entrusted to the forger as a sign of good faith on Pyrites part and just in case the authorities, be it Iroh after his arrest or the mudblood cunt Hermione after her seizure of power, arrested Pyrites and confiscated his shit.

This particular contact in Fire Fountain City had there had always been a Royalist and a supporter of the Firelord when he wasn't committing enough crimes to land him in the Boiling Rock for the rest of his natural life. Pyrites had made sure to have many senior contacts that represented different factions be it the Purists, the Centralist faction, the Royalists, the Equalists and whatever Hermione's base was. Right now, Pyrites needed a Royalist who may know of the rebel leaders in the nation, especially the ones that would wish to restore Druzok to the throne.

The last, and honestly most important reason, for going to Fire Fountain City was that his personal messenger hawk, Iris, had been sent to Fire Fountain City shortly before his arrest with orders from Pyrites to stay there and wait for him. That had been 6 years ago and due to his incarceration, Pyrites had never been able to retrieve her. Hopefully the bird would still remember him after all this time.

As he drove, Pyrites took the scenery and changes to his nation that had occurred over the past 5 years into account. The main thing he noticed was a lack of other personal vehicles on the road. Sure there were plenty of military trucks traveling, along with nationalized delivery services and plenty of prisoner transit vans, but other than that there was few personal satomobiles on the roads.

This clear lack of personal satomobiles meant that Pyrites would have to find the right cover for himself when he reached Fire Fountain City and learned more about Hermione's internal structure of the Fire Utopia, so as to find out how to best blend in while he was traveling. Until then, Pyrites would just have to bluff, bribe, lie, and if necessary, kill, his way to Fire Fountain City if he was every stopped on the way.

It took Pyrites 4 days of almost nonstop driving, only taking breaks for food, gas, to use the bathroom, and to sleep in a tent on the side of the road that he had stored in the vehicle's trunk for just such an occasion. Along the way, Pyrites was appalled by the sheer amount of self aggrandizing propaganda that Hermione had erected in all the villages and town he passed through. It put Voldemort to shame and Voldemort was know for his narcissism.

Then there was the messages proclaiming her enlightened and correct views and how they had inspired her laws that had revolutionized the Fire Utopia. Hermione boasted about how she had made the nation truly equal and that all who opposed her were evil and had been punished accordingly. All the nation needed was her and her views to prosper. It all made Pyrites sick as he knew it all to be the words of a false prophet. If he could, he would have destroyed it all but Pyrites had a job to do and he was too disciplined to blow his cover over something as trivial as a petulant child trying to maintain a feeble grip on power.

Whatever Pyrites felt about the propaganda and self-aggrandizing of Hermione, it was all clearly an attempt to foster a cult of personality but Pyrites had a feeling that it hadn't been as successful as planned. He had seen how Voldemort had fostered such a cult, Spirits know that Pyrites had been instrumental in that with his work behind the scenes, so Pyrites could tell that Hermione's attempt hadn't succeeded as well as Voldemort's had.

To Pyrites, the lies were clear and Hermione's claims of a better, fairer, juster, more equal, society were laughable. Pyrites may not have agreed with how Iroh ran the country when he had lived here, but at least it didn't feel oppressive or tyrannical. Sure Pyrites would have personally wanted it to be more oppressive against the nonbenders so that they were put in their proper place as second class citizens, but if he had to chose between this and Iroh, he would take the Iroh path every time. At least then instead of being oppressed and persecuted for being a rich and successful pureblood businessman, he would have been praised and lauded for his success.

The feeling of oppression in the Fire Nation was palpable to Pyrites, worse than even when he had visited the Northern Water Tribe as a Death Eater after Lucius's declaration of support for Voldemort, and that was a nation with institutional oppression at the time. It was a different kind of oppression here though. Under the Death Eaters and Voldemort, the oppression was there without doubt, it was clear, in your face and sanctioned by the government.

Here, by contrast, it was more an oppression of preservation. Hermione had oppressed anything that she felt threatened her and her rule in anyway and for someone as unstable as Hermione, that was a lot of stuff. Pyrites was all for oppressing his enemies, but what was going on in the Fire Nation was too much even for him.

Eventually Pyrites reached the island where Fire Fountain City was located and drove over the bridge that connected it to the mainland. He hadn't been stopped much and each time he had been able to talk his way out of any unwanted questions, often with bribes, and was now nearing his destination. Sure he could have stopped and learned more from the locals in the villages he had passed through, but he hated dealing with the masses, that was a job for his intermediaries, not a noble pureblood like himself. He would have to lower himself a little while he was serving the Avatar, but that was part of the price he was willing to pay for his freedom.

Pyrites had accepted after his arrest, and the subsequent defeat of Voldemort he had help facilitate, that his views and policies had lost the war that they had been fighting and that there was no real hope of them becoming law like he wanted with Avatar Harry around. So Pyrites would lower himself to the level of a messenger, planner, and ultimately a rebel, in exchange for his freedom.

Pyrites had enough contacts and resources hidden away in the Fire Nation where not even the Firelord or Hermione could touch them to live in comfort in the fashion he was accustomed to for the rest of his life in a nice, peaceful, rural area. They would also allow him stay abreast of any the news from the wider world that he wanted too keep up with, he just had to aid the Avatar take down the anti Voldemort. It was a small price to pay for freedom but one he was more than willing to pay.

As he was ruminating on his mission and his future, Pyrites pulled into a parking structure that was located on the outskirts of the city and parked in a deserted area, though there were few satomobiles here and there. After parking, locking the satomobile, removing a few key things from the engine so that the vehicle couldn't be started, and locking the wheels to avoid any possible theft, Pyrites shouldered his bag, pulled a cap low over his head despite knowing few would recognize the former noble after 5 years in prison and a new beard, and headed into town.

His first stop was his apartment safe house that he kept by the post office to drop off his bag. The house would likely have been repossessed under Hermione's laws given that it was a high end place in a wealth area of the city, while the warehouse was likely under military control, not that they would be able to break in without a plasma torch or a very skilled and patient metalbender.

Pyrites was relieved to see that his apartment had been kept and was as neat as he had left it several years ago, with an added layer of dust from lack of use. Using the Argentus Moranus alias that Pyrites used when he was staying in this apartment, he dropped his bag off and left the apartment, locked it and headed into the city. He could sort our Iris later, right now he had an old contact to rekindle and a few favors to call in.

His destination was a small house in the seedy district of the city. It was still day so he didn't need to worry about any thugs, not that he wouldn't mind the fight as his bending had returned the day before and it had been years since he had gotten into a good scrap. As such, Pyrites walked at a quick, but not hurried, pace to his destination.

It took him half an hour to get tot he small, slightly dingy, house, though the neighborhood wasn't as bad as he remembered from the last time he was here. Instead of being filled with scum, gamblers, hookers, con artists, and other various lowlifes from the underbelly of society, this area was just deserted. Approaching the door he gave a series of raps that were a code to alert the man inside that he was an associate who could be trusted to do confidential business with the man who owned the house.

"Who the fuck is there." A gruff voice full of suspicion came from inside. That certainly sounded like the man Pyrites had known.

"A friend in need of a favor." Pyrites said using a code phrase. "Argentus needs your specific skills."

There was a pause before the sound of several bolts and locks being undone, as well as at least two thick sounding chains, and then the door was opened just enough for Pyrites to enter. As soon as he was inside, the door was shut and locked behind him. Pyrites turned to look at a squat man with thick glasses and an even thicker, dark gray, beard.

"Who the fuck are you to know Argentus's code phrase." The gruff man barked, a dagger clearly visible in his belt, as he inspected Pyrites closely with his beady eyes. "And what the fuck do you want? I haven't been bothered by that asshole for almost 7 years and I'd like to keep it that way."

"Well deal with it Fictor." Pyrites said with a hint of annoyance at the forger. "Cos I'm back and I need your expertise."

The contact, who went by the name Fictor, a name Pyrites doubted was his real one, looked Pyrites over with narrowed, well trained, eyes before he nodded, finally recognizing the former Death Eater. The forger had known Pyrites as Argentus Moranus, an unscrupulous businessman and his Fire Fountain City alias, and while they didn't exactly get along, Pyrites's money always did the work. That and Pyrites did have a good amount of contacts in the criminal world of the Fire Nation that had allowed Fictor to avoid capture, or even being on anyone's radar, for years.

"I thought you had died or something." Fictor finally said leading Pyrites in his spartan, shabby, home. "Look, I can't help you no matter how much I would like to do so given your reliability when it comes to payment for my services. The times are different now then under Iroh. Hermione has cracked down on this whole area, getting rid of any piece of scum she could for any trumped up, fucking, reason so as to cleanse her so called utopia of undesirables like myself. All my friends have either left town, or been arrested for their actions and sent to the local slave labor camps, or been sent to some brothels for Hermione loyalists to use at their sick fucking pleasures. Makes me miss the glory days of the Firelords even more, even if Iroh would have frowned upon some of my activities."

"You don't have friends Fictor." Pyrites replied calmly as he let the man rant at him. "And those you do know are scoundrels, con artists, cut throats, and whores."

"Well they are all clients." Fictor said gruffly. "Or, well, I am their clients if they're a whore."

"Yes well I too am one of your clients and as you know, I have kept your sorry excuse for an ass out of trouble haven't I." Pyrites said with a cold smile at the shorter man. "So I need your help and an explanation of what the fuck has happened in the Fire Nation over the last 5 years. I have been a little indisposed since before Hermione seized power by spilling blood."

"Aye, you have done that." Fictor seemed to reluctantly agree. "Very well, I'll make some jasmine tea, the first General Iroh always recommended that brand, and answer your questions, so long as you answer mine first. Then I will decided if I should, or even if I can, help you."

"Very well, but we should make this quick as I have a lot of business to attend too and not too much time in which to do so." Pyrites said sitting at a table in the man's small kitchen while his host fixed up some tea.

"Alright well my first question is obvious; what the fuck do you mean by asking about the last 5 years of hell on earth that it has been like living in this nation?" Fictor asked setting down the freshly boiled tea and pouring Pyrites a cup. "Have you been under a rock or something while that bitch of an Empress seized power from our fair and benevolent Firelord and basically started purging the nation of all those undesirable to her and her twisted fucking views. If it wasn't for my connections and the system you had helped set up for me in the past, I would at best be in the Boiling Rock by this point. At worst I would be dead either by a private, extra judicial killing for my Royalist sympathies or worked to death in the slave labor camps like many of my former clients. I don't do manual labor, you know that Argentus."

"Actually, I literally have been under a rock for the last 5 years." Pyrites said with a thin smile as he took a sip of the poor quality tea to be polite. "But yes, you wouldn't have survived 6 months in a labor camp, let alone 5 years."

"Come again?" Fictor asked clearly not expecting Pyrites to confirm his absurd assumption of where the former Death Eater had been for the last 5 years.

"Well to be more accurate, I have spent the last 5 and a quarter years or so in prison." Pyrites said setting down his cup of tea and looking the forger dead in the eye. He felt he ought to be honest now as there was no point in hiding anymore given the current climate and need for haste in completing his mission. "I spent about a month in the dungeons below the palace as a guest of Firelord Iroh and Avatar Harry while he was here following the Dark Lord's successful coup in the United Republic. Then I spent the next 5 and a bit years in freezing my very large balls off in a specialty, one man solitary, cell atop a mountain somewhere in the backwoods of the Earth Kingdom. Eastern part of that nation if I had to guess given the transport time from the Capital. While there, I was a guest of the new Kyoshi Warriors High Profile Prison Guard. So yes, I was literally under a rock on the top of a cold as fuck mountain with literal blue balls for over 5 fucking years."

"Argentus, I have known you for years and I know that you are involved with a lot of criminal elements throughout the nation but this is ludicrous." Fictor said in disbelief. "You were always careful and seldom got your hands dirty. Mainly you dealt in information, bribes, blackmail, extortion, and corruption. It's why I respected you and kept your emergency crap just in case you would need it because I doubted you would ever be caught. I assume that this is why you have shown up on my doorstep after 7 years with an unbelievable story of spending the last 5 years away from the Fire Nation."

"Well believe it." Pyrites said with a sigh realizing he would have to explain a little more to the old forger. "Ok Fictor, do you remember towards the end of the Purity War a series of raids across the entire world that took down the Dark Lord's information network? They would have happened here, in the Capital, Ba Sing Se, Omashu, Zhou Fu, and many other places that were not under the control of the Dark Lord."

"Yeah I remember those raids." Fictor said scratching his thick beard. "Couple of my best clients got picked up that night. I had no idea they were working for Voldemort. No reason to suspect it either seeing as they were all nonbenders."

"They didn't know that they were working for the Dark Lord, that was the greatest part of my network." Pyrites said with a grin at the look of surprise of Fictor's face. "They were merely my dupes, my pawns in a game greater than anyone else could even begin to comprehend. I don't regret selling them down the stream as I didn't need them personally and as you said, they were pathetic nonbenders. You, though, I kept off the records I had for Voldemort's spy network. You were on my own private contacts list just in case I ever needed someone with your exceptional and unmatched skills. Therefore, I would say that you owe me big time Fictor."

"You were the one who brought down the largest network of informants, spies, corrupt politicians, and pawns in human history?" Fictor said clearly not convinced. "I heard through my own underworld sources that it was an inside job, a Death Eater turned on Voldemort in exchange for protection after he was captured by the Avatar. It was huge in the underground community given just how many had been arrested and how many prominent legal citizens and nonbenders were caught up in the raids and sentenced to long prison terms. It did get rid of some of my competition and one or two people who wanted to nail my balls to the table and make me eat them so I guess I should be thankful to that Death Eater wanker who betrayed his master."

"Yes it was a shame to kill such a beautiful creation but it was a necessary act to save my own ass." Pyrites said with a sad sigh at what he had spent so many years building and fostering only to tear it down in a heartbeat to save his own ass. "But without it and giving it up upon capture, I would have been killed by Voldemort as soon as he had learned of my arrest and that I had been revealed as a Death Eater. I was too valuable to the Dark Lord to let live. I have to hand it to the Avatar and the other World Leaders, they executed the raids that my information made possible perfectly. And you're welcome Fictor, I made sure a few of your enemies were caught up in it, I do have a vested interest in making sure that you live."

"You know, I am still finding it hard to believe that you are that man, Argentus." Fictor said still clearly doubting Pyrites's story. "I know you are a seedy businessman with a long criminal history that could have landed you a life sentence in the Boiling Rock under Iroh. I also know that you have contacts stretching the length and breadth of the Fire Nation and that I have helped you in many occasions but I never had any dealings with the man who was Voldemort's spymaster."

"No I needed you for my own personal needs." Pyrites said with a smile. "Hence why you owe me for keeping you out of spending at least 20 years if not the rest of your miserable life in the Boiling Rock or some similar shithole. Also, few in my network knew that they were even working for Voldemort, let alone dealing with one of his most loyal and trusted Death Eaters, right up to the moment I betrayed him of course."

"Yeah, still not believing it." Fictor said shaking his head. "Great story and whatever you are snorting to believe it, I want some but I just can't imagine you as a Death Eater. For fuck's sake Argentus, you ain't even a fucking bender, let alone a pureblood who could advance that far under Voldemort."

Sighing, Pyrites realized that there was only one way to prove his case to Fictor. Therefore he extended his forearm and slowly pulled up his left sleeve to show the black Dark Mark that had been bloodbent into his skin by the Dark Lord and which still occasionally throbbed in pain. As soon as he did Fictor's eyes went wide in shock at the sight of the mark of a Death Eater, a mark that was universally known and that less than 30 men and only 2 women had ever received. With little hesitation, Fictor flipped the table and leapt at Pyrites, his hands going for the former Death Eater's throat.

Pyrites rolled backwards with the attack and kicked up as Fictor soared over him, all the while Pyrites crashed painfully to the hard stone floor of the house. The blow caught the forger in the chest and sent him sailing over Pyrites's head and crashing into the wall. Both combatants quickly rose at the same time and Fictor ripped his dagger out, a look of murder in his beady little eyes. Pyrites sighed and clenched his fists creating two flame daggers in each.

"You really think the Dark Lord would allow a pathetic and useless nonbender to join his inner circle." Pyrite sneered trying to get his rage in check at the audacity of the forger to even try and attack someone who was vastly superior. "I am Pyrites, a pureblood firebender of the highest caliber and the Dark Lord's spymaster. I was the only Death Eater to never even be suspected, right up to the moment of my arrest. You are nothing but an insect beneath my fucking boot Fictor, do not try to take on your betters."

"You may be a skilled firebender but you will find me not as inferior as you may think." Fictor snarled back. "I have been fighting since before you were born asshole and I know a few tricks for taking down an arrogant, pureblood, wanker like yourself."

"I do not doubt that Fictor." Pyrites said as he began to regain his composure using all the self control he had mastered over the years to do so. "I know that you are skilled with that blade, you wouldn't carry it if you weren't and I know of how many lives that dagger has taken. Look, I know you are a man of reason and honor, a rarity in this segment of society. I am here to call in the favors you owe me for keeping your ass out of prison and free of Bubba's thick, veiny, cock pile driving that ass every night until you die. I have a lot to ask of you and I am acting directly on the orders of not only Firelord Druzok but of Avatar Harry himself. So if you can aid me we will call it all debts owed and I will be out of your hair for ever. Plus, you can claim to have aided the Avatar and the Firelord and those will be useful favors to call in one day."

"I assume that you have proof of this." Fictor said, wisely not standing down from his fighting stance. "Or else you wouldn't be here."

"I do." Pyrites said as he extinguished his fire daggers and slowly reached into his jacket so that he could pull out a sealed envelope with the Firelord's personal seal on it before he handed it to Fictor.

Harry had provided it to him should Pyrites need it to convince his contacts of the legitimacy of his mission. The seal was authentic and, as Fictor would know, could not be replicated by any known forger in the world, including himself.

"Orders directly from the Firelord in exile." Pyrites said as Fictor took the note. "The Avatar and the other World Leaders offered me the chance for a lifetime parole from my life sentence, within the borders of the Fire Nation obviously, in exchange for getting an advance group into the Fire Nation. I also have to use my own personal network to build a rebellion to take down Hermione, as well as taking part in said rebellion to the best of my extensive abilities. I know it goes against all of my views to aid the Avatar and the blood traitor Druzok after what they did to the noble Purist Movement, but they are less of an enemy to me than the mudblood who rules my homeland with an iron first. Plus it is my only chance of freedom. Without doing my part, I would rot in that solitary cell for the rest of my days."

Pyrites waited as Fictor inspected the seal with his expert eye, then broke it, opened the note, and read it. His eyes went wide as he looked over it before closing it and handing it back to Pyrites just in case the spymaster needed it in the future.

"Awful lot of trust you place in me, Pyrites." Fictor said calling him by his real name for the first time. "I'm surprised that you came to me of all people to be honest."

"I know that I can trust you with this endeavor." Pyrites said calmly as he put the note back into his pocket. "I thoroughly vetted my entire personal network and have planned for all contingencies. As much of a piece of scum as you are Fictor, and we both know that you are scum, you are still loyal to the Firelords and a man who always repays his debts. Hence why I have come to you first. That and you are keeping a few things of mine safe just in case I need them."

"Very well." Fictor said after a long thought. "I shall aid you with what you need and then I want you out of my life for good, no repercussions whatsoever. Now what the fuck do you want from me?"

"Firstly your word that should you get detained you will not breath a word of this to anyone as it could ruin the planned rebellion against the mudblood." Pyrites said sternly. "And I need that to succeed so that I can actually live out my days as a free man."

"Done." Fictor said with a nod. "I ain't got no love for the cunts that run this excuse of a nation and I will not be worked to death in their slave camps, nor will I be brutally tortured and executed by the sadistic fucks who Hermione hires to do her dirty work. I plan on taking my own life before being arrested, maybe even take a few of the fuckers with me when I go. Besides, even if I did cooperate they would still send me to a fucking labor camp or kill me outright cos these wankers have no fucking honor."

"Good, here is what I need from you." Pyrites said with a cool smile at the forger. "I need a disguise and appropriate paperwork that I know you will have to be able to drive through the nation and get by any checkpoints without question. I will also need the gear I stashed with you that I couldn't leave in my apartment in the city just in case someone broke into it while I was away. Lastly, I need info on and introductions to any of the key rebel leaders still alive in the Fire Nation."

"You don't ask for much, do you." Fictor said with a dry chuckle. "Though for a man of my talents, I have everything you could possibly need. As matter of fact, the black suit and white shirt you left with me will be of use as a disguise for one of the FUICEE agents. In case you don't know, the FUICEE is the Fire Utopia Internal Commission on Enforcing Equality, the secret police of Hermione. They do all the spying on her own citizens for her, make sure people disappear, after they have cooperated under torture of course, and generally ensure that the culture of fear that Hermione uses to rule this nation is preserved. I have all the paperwork you would need to pass as an agent and as once you are one, you will be just bellow the Chosen in the hierarchy of various groups that Hermione uses to enforce her vile laws. Your saber will not look out of place as many of the agents openly carry weapons as a sign of power, though the ruby topped cane will as that is too ostentatious for an FUICEE agent."

"Very well, go get those." Pyrites said with a nod at the idea of posing as an agent of Hermione's secret police. "When we are done though, you are going to have to catch me up. I traveled straight here once I got my team past the blockade and into the nation as I needed to sort this out first, information on the status of the Fire Nation was a secondary objective for me."

Fictor nodded curtly and left the room. A moment later he reappeared with a garment bag, a simple, slightly curved, saber and an ebony cane topped with a large, expensive, ruby. Placing them on a sofa he turned back to Pyrites.

"I'm surprised you didn't sell any of that." Pyrites admitted as he looked over his possessions that Fictor had looked after for him. "That cane alone is worth more than you make in a year."

"I keep my word Pyrites." Fictor said flatly. "And in this business, my work is my bond. If I break it well there will be some rather nasty thugs ready to fuck me up for breaking my word. Personally, I would like to remain as I am and not get fucked up by some thugs so it is easier just to keep the shit then to sell it."

"Good." Pyrites said with a chuckle. "Cos I would not have been happy and my reputation for fire control is legendary. Now as for the rebel groups, what can you tell me about them?"

"There are two major ones still active that I know about." Fictor said instantly. "Not that I know them well or if they are connected but I know of two that have survived Hermione's purges and mass, public, executions of rebels, dissidents, and opponents to her tyrannical regime. One is called the Green Brigade and located on the southern coast of the central Island of the Fire Nation. They are led by a man known only as Leprechaun. From what I have gathered, he operates out of a series of taverns in the coastal villages dot the southern cliffs."

"Interesting names." Pyrites said thinking about the first rebel group that Fictor had mentioned. "Never heard of them."

"The Green Brigade I have no idea why they chose it but I know that Leprechauns are some mischievous spirits that inhabit the Imperial State of Celt but again, I have no idea why that name." Fictor said in response. "And you wouldn't have heard of them. They began to form about 3 years back while you were still in prison."

"Very well, and they have evaded the authorities?" Pyrites asked. "Something that surprises me given Hermione's police state."

"Yes but I believe that is because the Leprechaun has a contact who is highly ranked within the Chosen who he has duped into helping him." Fictor said with a cold smile. "It's the only way I can think of that would explain how the Green Brigade has managed to stay one step ahead of the Enforcers of Enlightenment and the FUICEE for years."

"My kinda man." Pyrites said smiling just as coldly. "And you can get me an introduction? Cos that's all I need to persuade this Leprechaun to help me."

"I can write a letter that will get you in the door." Fictor said simply. "The rest, that is up too you."

"That won't be a problem." Pyrites said dismissively. "And the other group you mentioned?"

"A northern based group located near Ember Island called the Griffins." Fictor said scratching his beard in thought again. "I know less about them and their methods but I do know that their leader is a man who goes by the name of Wood. Again, I don't know why he chose that name. Unlike with the Green Brigade, I cannot get you an introduction with the Griffins as I have had very little dealing with them. They prefer to deal with Dung than with me but I do know that they are based out of town called Puddlemere or something like that."

"Very well, I will see what I can do." Pyrites said sneering at Dung. "I hate that black marketeer. He may be good at what he does but he was too close to Albus for me to ever work with or use to the fullest of his abilities."

"Yes well he is good." Fictor said with reluctance. "And he was in the nation during the Enlightened's coup so he got stuck here and has been plying his trade very well ever since."

"Very well, get me the letter of introduction and then tell me everything you know over dinner." Pyrites ordered. "I'll cook though, I don't trust you culinary expertise, or lack thereof."

Fictor grumbled but did as Pyrites had ordered. After he had the letter, the false FUICEE agent badge that could pass any inspection, and had changed into his black suit, feeling much better now that he had his old, fine, expensive, clothes on once more. Pyrites then reached into the pocket of the fine jacket he was now wearing and pulled out a pair of fine white gloves made from the best silk that he always kept in his various fancy outfits. Smiling he pulled them on, it had been too long since he had felt the comfort of his trademark gloves. It was good to be back in business.

Dinner was a simple affair and Fictor was good to his word and provided Pyrites with all the info he had requested from the old forger. The more Pyrites learned of the events and actions over the last 5 years, the more he was glad he had agreed to aid the Avatar in freeing his homeland from the mudblood who polluted it with her myth of equality. This bitch needed to be stopped and soon, preferably permanently but Pyrites would settle for seeing her hauled away to prison he had once called home in chains.

After diner was over Pyrites rose, affixed the saber to his belt, grabbed his cane and extended a gloved hand to Fictor. After a moments hesitation, Fictor rose from his own seat and shook it.

"Thank you, your debts with me are cleared." Pyrites said with a smile. "Should we succeed, you will be owed debts by both Avatar Harry and Firelord Druzok. There aren't many people who can claim to be able to call in a favor from two of the most powerful and influential men in the world."

"Yes, well, as good as those favors are, I don't want to see your fucking face around here ever again." Fictor said going to the door, unlocking it but leaving the chains in place, and cracking it slightly so that he could peer out into the street. When he was certain the coast was clear he removed the thick chains he had on the door and ushered Pyrites out.

Smiling Pyrites gave Fictor a cocky salute before beginning to walk calmly back to his apartment as if he was out for an evening patrol. If he ran into any trouble, he now had what he needed to avoid it, for who would challenge an FUICEE agent out and about in Fire Fountain City. There was still a few things he had to do before he could head south and meet with the Green Brigade leader.

* * *

The next 36 hours were a hectic mess for the former spymaster turned servant to the Avatar. Pyrites had quickly learned of the actions at the Dragon Sanctuary and knew at once that the Avatar had changed the plans drastically. Needing answers, Pyrites sent his first coded report with Iris, who as a well trained and professional as any messenger hawk should be given that she recognized him at once, to the Avatar with an update on his situation.

Pyrites had decided to use the code name Supai, a name he had used a little in the past for similar clandestine missions he had undertaken for Voldemort, for his communications with the Avatar. Pyrites also asked for information on the Dragon Sanctuary attack and said he was going in the wrong direction to meet a new contact for them. Once that was done, Pyrites made sure he had all he needed, that the apartment was stocked with preserved food just in case the Avatar showed up in Fire Fountain City, and locked up before returning to his satomobile. It was time to leave Fire Fountain City and meet the Green Brigade.

Starting the engine, after he had restored it to working order, Pyrites set off and began to head west and then south once he reached the main island. He was stopped a few times on his way, but one flash of the fake credentials got the military off his back without any questions being asked. The FUICEE may be the secret police but they carried a lot of weight and fear here, something Pyrites would use to his advantage.

His destination in the south was a cliff side town called New Kenmare due to a high number of expats from the Imperial State of Celt. He didn't have a safe house there but had a small countryside cottage in the nearby hills, which was where he headed at the moment.

Often as he drove, Pyrites smiled to himself. He was on track with his mission and while it may take a few days to find and persuade the Leprechaun of his offer, he knew that he would succeed in the end given the note he carried from the Firelord.

After that, it was off the find the mysterious Wood and the Griffins to the north, Then he was going to try and contact Prince Charlie as Pyrites was certain that the dragon trainer and Southern Water Tribe noble pureblood was now part of a third rebel movement, as where his very valuable dragons. Yes, all was going well but there was still much that Pyrites had to get done before he could final earn his freedom.

 **I am glad that for once a chapter will be released on time. Both this chapter and the next will highlight how unpleasant and yet charming Pyrites is supposed to be as we follow his mission to recruit and unite the rebel groups. All the information regarding the rebel groups mentioned in this chapter and their leaders will be revealed in a week's time but y'all are fans of Harry Potter so y'all should be able to guess who they are.** ** **That's enough for this chapter** **, keep letting me know what you think of this story in the reviews and any questions asked in reviews or PMs to me will be answered at the start of next week's chapter when it is released, hopefully once again on time. Until next week.****

 ** **Stringdog****


	20. Chapter 20

**Here is the 20th chapter of Book 2. Sorry this is late, real life is as always to blame. This is the second part of the two part side arch that details Pyrites and the mission he has been forced to undertake in order to fulfill his end of the deal and help set up the final part of Book 2. That's all for this note, so sit back and enjoy the latest installment in Avatar: The Tale of Harry. Book 2: Equality.**

 **Disclaimer: As always I won nothing related to either of these two great works of fiction.**

 **Chapter 20**

 **Pyrites Tale**

 **Part 2: Meetings, plans and rebellion.**

Pyrites pulled into the cottage that one of his many aliases owned and that served as his base of operations along the southern cliffs. It was a small, cozy, place that overlooked the southern sea and sat near the cliff but far enough back to avoid falling into the sea due to erosion.

As it was a small, simple, rustic, residence, Pyrites wasn't surprised that it was still there and empty of occupants. There was no value to it in terms of farmland, it wasn't owned by a name or company associated with capitalism and/or the upper class, and frankly it was in an insignificant area that Hermione and her loyal supporters wouldn't give enough shits to take it.

Pyrites parked the satomobile outside the front door, got out with his bag, locked the vehicle as he had done in Fire Fountain City, and went to the front door while constantly scanning his surroundings. His key opened the door with ease and Pyrites walked inside the old cottage.

The cottage was a simple bungalow with a kitchen, living room, bathroom and bedroom, all spartan to avoid the need to clean too much. Pyrites had also installed some high quality, and highly illegal, surveillance equipment in the basement and that was the first thing he checked to make sure everything was still working. He had turned it all off when he had last left the cottage, he just needed to make sure it was all still functional.

Once he was certain it was all working he went to the bedroom and changed out of the fake FUICEE agent suit and into a pair of black pants, long sleeved red shirt and a hooded black vest with black silk gloves to complete the ensemble. Pyrites decided to forgo his sword for a pair hawksbill, curved, serrated daggers that he kept in sheathes at the small of his back. Once he was all kitted up, Pyrites pulled a map out of his bag and went to spread it on the kitchen table.

Looking at the map, Pyrites could see that the village of New Kenmare was only 3 miles away, a nice walk that he could easily do in a little over an hour, it would do Pyrites some good to remind himself of the area. From what Pyrites could remember, the area was a mix of farmland that churned out rice, potatoes for both food and liquor, and small fishing industry that provided fish to the surrounding areas.

Unlike Fire Fountain City, this region of the Fire Nation was clearly an agricultural zone. Back during Iroh's reign, Pyrites knew that the major, industrialized, farms in the area had been owned by a few noble families and had been in their hands for generations.

One was a farm that had been owned by a noble, Purist, family who only hired nonbenders for the manual labor as they saw them as the only ones fit for such a deeming task. The family also paid the nonbenders next to nothing and tried to use every trick in the book to enslave them, constantly being found in violation of the law but always managing to avoid a forced nationalization of farm. The others farms had been owned by moderate families, including a nonbending noble family, that were fairer and within the bounds of the law.

Now Pyrites assumed that the farms had been nationalized and collectivized by Hermione with everyone in the area being forced to work on them for nothing, including the old nobles likely in the worst jobs imaginable that had a high chance of death. There was likely a Chosen or two that had moved into the mansions, or maybe a general, so as to monitor the area and enforce Hermione's twisted laws. Whatever the case, Pyrites's ultimate destination was the town of New Kenmare.

Making sure he had all he needed; money, fake ID for the alias who owned the cottage, letter of introduction, weapons, the note from Druzok for when he need it to prove his authenticity, and a letter from Harry confirming that Pyrites was a representative of the LFTM, the last of which he hid in his boot, Pyrites headed out.

It was a warm afternoon when Pyrites left and began the 3 mile long trek to the town. It was a pleasant walk and Pyrites enjoyed the feel of the warm sun on him, so much so that he took off the vest and carried it, he would put it back on and pull the hood up once he got to New Kenmare. As Pyrites walked, he smiled at the fact that he was free, in a limited capacity.

After 5 years in a cold as fuck mountain cell, it was nice to be able to walk in the sun and stretch his legs in the best weather for a firebender. Pyrites wouldn't get many more of these days until after the Avatar had succeeded in his mission to take down Hermione, a mission Pyrites would do everything in his power to ensure that it succeeded.

As he walked, Pyrites thought on the recent news he had heard on the radio in his satomobile that came from the state sponsored propaganda machine, and the more accurate news that came from the Avatar. The broadcasts of the LFTM, the movement that Avatar Harry had created to rally the people to his side to show that a stand against Hermione could be done and could be successful. Of the two very different broadcasts, Pyrites could tell that Hermione was starting to get desperate after the events at Jang Hui and that Harry's movement was on the rise.

Pyrites hoped that the LFTM and their successes would help get the two groups he was trying to make contact with onto their side. Pyrites had a letter from Harry detailing certain actions during the LFTM liberation of Jang Hui that only those who participated in it would know, including the bloody name tag of the general who ran the factory there and some photos taken in the aftermath of the attack, so as to prove that the LFTM had written the letter.

In addition to proof, the letter also confirmed that the bearer was a member of the LFTM who was seeking to join forces with any other rebel groups who were actively seeking to take down Hermione. Hopefully all that would be enough to get Leprechaun and the Green Brigade onto Pyrites's side, and that of the Avatar, as well as hopefully an introduction to the Griffins and the mysterious Wood.

It took about 90 minutes for Pyrites to stroll into the town. Once he reached the outskirts, he put the vest back on and kept his hood up and his head down. It was early in the afternoon and as such it was pretty deserted in the town as most of the citizens would likely be out in the fields or on the sea doing their jobs for the betterment of the Fire Utopia.

Looking around Pyrites saw the usual self-aggrandizing propaganda that Hermione like to put in all her towns was clearly present on every building. However, under the propaganda and Fire Utopia patriotism, Pyrites could see that there was a clear Earth Kingdom feel to the place. Most of the buildings were stone, not wood, and the architecture was closer to the Earth Kingdom style than the Fire Nation. It was clear that Pyrites was in the right place.

Pyrites knew that the Leprechaun operated out of a series of taverns in the various towns and villages located along the coast, so he looked around for one. It took Pyrites a few minutes until he found one in the strung out town, what he found was a stone, square, building called The Pot o' Gold. It was clearly a tavern with a little music coming from it, a tune usually found in the Imperial State of Celt.

Sighing, Pyrites pushed the door open and entered a large square room with a piano being played in the far corner, a bar on one wall and a lot of sturdy, wooden, furniture. A burly man dressed all in green stood behind the bar which had a black cauldron overflowing with gold painted above it. The bartender glared at Pyrites as he entered the establishment, closing the door behind him

There were a few locals in the bar , all of who looked warily at the unknown, hooded, newcomer but shortly went back to their drinks, food, and murmured conversations. Walking to the bar Pyrites slapped down a 10 herm note on it with a thud.

"Whatcha got to drink round here." Pyrites said putting on a flawless, rural, and very common accent.

"Stout, whiskey, beer, and if you're a lass or a faggot cider and wine." The bartender said in a thick accent indicative of a heritage from the Imperial State of Celt, a good sign that Pyrites was in the right place.

"Haha well I ain't no lass and I certainly ain't no fucking faggot." Pyrites said with a smirk. "I'll take a whiskey, whatever is strongest. Don't ya worry, I can take it."

"You don't look like you can handle our strongest drink." The bartender said giving Pyrites a once over. "Though you don't look like a faggot either."

"I can handle a lot more than you would imagine." Pyrites said coolly before pulling out a 50 herm note and sliding it across the counter. "And that is for you, if you can let the little green man who runs these establishments know that someone with information pertinent to him and the recent events would like to see him."

Pyrites used the description of a leprechaun that he had read so that he could make a slightly coded reference. He had been forced to stop by a library in a town along the way to read up on the mischievous spirits who seemed to only exist in Celt so that he could make such a reference. Naturally the library had been devoid of anything that could undermine Hermione's philosophy.

The bartender took the notes, pocketing the larger and poured Pyrites a glass of slightly smoking whiskey. Pyrites knew that the whiskey was one of the fire whiskey variants that were prevalent across the nation, the finer brands of which Pyrites had naturally owned and consumed during his heyday.

"I'll pass your message on." The bartender said on a low voice. "The boss is a busy man though, so he may not wish to see you. You are some random ass traveler who's just shown up out of the blue with apparent information that the boss would be interested in right when our glorious and benevolent Empress is cracking down on dissenters harder than she has in years. You can see how I and therefore my boss would be skeptical of you right now."

"Tell him I have info about the recent incident on the gray river." Pyrites said and was pleased to notice a flicker of interest in the bartender's eye. Pyrites pulled the letter of introduction from Fictor out and passed it over to the bartender. "Also make sure he gets this, it comes from one of the few scoundrels left in Fire Fountain City."

"Well the boss should be interested now, though don't expect him to trust you." The bartender said taking the note.

"A wise man is one who trusts no one." Pyrites muttered as the bartender left, though not before the man made sure to lock up all the valuable alcohol.

Pyrites took the whiskey he had paid for and walked to a far table that was away from the other patrons. Sitting, he took a sip and appreciated the burn that the whiskey gave him as it went down his throat. Despite the cheapness, it was good shit.

The people of the region that would become the Imperial State of Celt did know how to make the best whiskey in the world. Though this wasn't a brand from Celt, certainly due to the blockade, it was still well made by the expats who lived here.

It didn't take too long before the bartender returned with an even bigger man, someone who would pulverize Pyrites in unarmed combat. Pyrites was only halfway through his drink at this point but decided not to down it as the man approached, good whiskey had to be savored.

"The boss will see you now." The bigger man said bluntly. "Follow me."

Pyrites nodded and got up, taking his drink with him and followed the clear bodyguard. He was lead to a backroom and then down a set of stairs. Pyrites was surprised that the Leprechaun was present in New Kenmare today and not one of the other towns like New Ballycastle but he wasn't going to complain when Lady Luck was favoring him.

While outside a thick metal door, the bodyguard patted him down taking all his weapons; the two curved knives, two more in his boots and a small emergency knife in a special sheath around his neck. Pyrites was expecting this so had made the weapons easily accessible, it beat the need for a strip search, something Pyrites had vowed to never endure again after he experienced one during his booking following his arrest.

The bodyguard let him keep his papers as they were sealed, well above the thug's pay grade and clearly meant for his boss. Once he was convinced that Pyrites was clean and not a threat, minus his bending, he rapped on the metal door before opening it.

Pyrites smiled at the setup he had just experienced. It was perfect to hid the activities and escape if necessary. Pyrites approved of the caution, setup, and paranoia, it all made him respect the Leprechaun for his forethought and planning abilities.

As soon as the door was opened, Pyrites walked in alone and heard the door close behind him. This left him the utmost privacy for his meeting with the first of the two known rebel leaders in the Fire Nation, just what Pyrites had been hoping for.

"So, you are the one who wishes to see me." A distinctly Celtic accented voice said from a turned chair behind a desk in the office like room, though Pyrites could see a second door in the back of the room that would be used as an emergency exit should the place ever be raided.

The chair turned, and Pyrites had to repress a gasp of surprise at the man behind the desk, who Pyrites assumed was Leprechaun, but given who he was Pyrites would be a little cautious. By all rights and everything that Pyrites had heard about the current state of the Fire Nation, this man should not be here.

"I know you." Pyrites said recognizing the man sitting opposite him. "Or at least I know your mother and father, you I am only aware of from my extensive file on her."

"Really?" The sandy haired man behind the desk asked with a raised eyebrow. "And they are?"

"Your father is Fleet Admiral Finnegan, Commander of the Fire Nation's navy back under Iroh." Pyrites said automatically as he recalled the powerful family of the man in front of him. "The first nonbender to ever command a branch of the Fire Military, as well as the first descendant of immigrants to rise to such a rank. Your mother is the now formally Lady Finnegan, a pureblood noble and member of the Fire Assembly who I served alongside of during my days on the Firelord's advisory body. You are their son, Seamus."

"Astute, especially given the fact that I do not know who the fuck you are." Seamus said as he narrowed his eyes suspiciously at Pyrites. "However, you have been vouched for by Fictor and while I dislike associating with scoundrels, that man is a talent and one of the few honorable ones left. Take a seat I have a feeling we have much to discuss. I am going to assume for the moment that you are a former noble given that you knew my mother, but I expect you to tell precisely who the fuck you are and why the fuck you wish to meet with me."

"What did Fictor have to say about me, cos, I didn't read the letter naturally." Pyrites asked, taking the seat offered without hesitation. "And yes, I am a former noble of the Fire Nation. I will answer all your questions, I know that you will have many for me."

Pyrites knew little of Seamus other than he was a halfblood and by all accounts a blood traitor. He know of Seamus's father's position in the military and that the Fleet Admiral was the son of immigrants from Celt. Seamus's mother was a pureblood firebender and noble who had served on the Fire Assembly as part of Lady Augusta's moderate wing. The boy, though, was a mystery other than that he had been in the same year as the Avatar at the Elemental Academy and had likely been there during Hermione's coup.

"Naturally to both." Seamus said after a moments' pause during which he scrutinized Pyrites. "Fictor said that you were an asshole, a con artist and a liar of the highest caliber, but that if there was one thing you valued above all else was your own ass and that you would move heaven and earth to save it. Therefore, the mission that the Firelord had tasked you with was legit in Fictor's eyes. He also said that you would reveal your real name and history to me as a sign of good faith and that once I knew it, I would know that the chances of you being an agent for Hermione were below zero. He also added that you would have irrefutable proof of your past allegences that would guarantee that the cunt who calls herself Empress would never let you live should you be caught. I agree with Fictor's assessment seeing as you know who I am and thus I am at the disadvantage."

"I see you understand the information game." Pyrites said with genuine admiration and a cold smile. "Few do these days. Rest assured, when it comes down to information, subterfuge and spying, I am the maestro at it."

"4 years of building a secret rebellion against a ruthless tyrant and having to stay one step ahead of the plethora of authorities dedicated to enforcing her tyranny, along with their own interests, makes one learn quick." Seamus said darkly. "But given what you know of me already, I'll take your word on how skilled you are. So, what the fuck is your name? I certainly don't recognize your face but I am presuming the beard in new, and while you talk like a commoner your mannerisms are a little too formal and refined for one of the rural folk in our nation. I should know, I grew up in high society."

"Very well, you are observant I will give you that." Pyrites said dropping the commoner accent in favor of his normal, cultured one that didn't shock Seamus in the least. "The beard is new but it has more to do with the 5 years I spent in prison than anything else, same for how my attempts at passing as a commoner are a little rusty." This last bit caused Seamus to quirk an eyebrow.

"So, you are an ex con then." Seamus said with a nod. "You don't strike me as the hardened criminal type so I'm going to assume you did your time either in solitary or a supermax prison, though there isn't one in the Fire Nation since the destruction of the White Lotus Waterbending Supermax Prison."

"Technically both." Pyrites said with a crooked smile. "I am Lord, well actually former lord since being convicted of hundreds of millions of felonies does ensure revocation of one's titles, Pyrites. The spymaster to the Dark Lord Voldemort and who famously betrayed him upon capture, a betrayal that involved the revelation of decades worth of information on the Dark Lord's information network. I was the catalyst that brought down the Dark Lord."

"I must admit, that is possibly the last person I would expect to walk into one of my fine establishments and demand a meeting." Seamus said the surprise clear on his face. "It would explain a lot, though, as I have heard of you and your crimes. Certainly, if there was someone who could figure out a way past the blockade, learn about me and where to find me, it would be you. Now do you have any proof you are who you say you are?"

"Does this constitute proof." Pyrites said as he pulled up his sleeve and revealed the Dark Mark bloodbent into his left forearm.

"Only of your claim to be associated with the Dark Lord and served time because of it." Seamus said looking at the distinctive mark of a Death Eater. Pyrites was glad to see the boy was cautious and not one to trust easy, that would make working with him easier. "As you can probably guess, I fought in the Battle of the Elemental Academy. I saw friends cut down by Death Eaters and Purists alike, and slew my fair share of the later with my blade and my bending. Know that only this letter and your reference to the events in Jang Hui are keeping you alive right now. You have peaked my interest, for that you are still breathing."

"I can respect that level of caution, paranoia and ruthlessness in a man." Pyrites said with a nod of respect at Seamus. "But I am sure that you know of how many Death Eaters survived the final battle and that by my admission as to who I am, I would have already been in prison during the battle. Yes there are 3 other living Death Eaters who are firebenders so firebending wouldn't prove shit at this point, even if you were foolish enough to allow a bender of my caliber to do so."

"I had been informed of your status and disappearance when Voldemort branded you a traitor and plastered wanted posters for you everywhere while I was living in his United Republic, but 5 years in prison has changed you." Seamus said cautiously, ignoring Pyrites praise of hum. "And I also know that only 7 Death Eaters were captured during the battle. One escaped and the remainder perished, if my memory serves me right."

"May I firebend a little to prove who I am?" Pyrites asked. He respected Seamus's paranoia and distrust but he wanted to move the conversation along. "I was known for my legendary control of fire, even before I was outed as a Death Eater."

"You may but note that my hand is currently, and has been since you arrived, on a button under my desk." Seamus said with a cold grin at Pyrites. "If I press it, a half dozen high powered crossbow bolts will skewer you in place without harming me, there is no way your reflexes could be fast enough to stop your death. So yes, you may show me this legendary control, I was aware of Pyrites's reputation as a master in that aspect of firebending."

Pyrites smiled at the precautions that Seamus had taken, the man clearly knew what he was doing and as such Pyrites had no problem working with him. The former Death Eater held out his right hand and proceeded to create a small flame in it. Then, Pyrites bent it into a miniature dragon and made it fly, by making it flap its small wings, around his own head a few times before it disappeared into nothing.

"How about that?" Pyrites asked with a grin. "I bet Crabbe or Rookwood or Peter couldn't do that and they are the other living and incarcerated firebending Death Eaters."

"True, they all didn't strike me as the type and after your arrest my ma did say that you had been an expert on control that had been understated in the records." Seamus said as his eyes returned to Pyrites. "Very well, for now I shall accept the evidence that you are who you say you are given the fact that that was some damned fine control over fired. What do you have for me? And more importantly why is a convicted Death Eater seeking out a rebel leader in the Fire Nation and not rotting in a cell?"

"Well as Fictor said I ain't no fan of that mudblood cunt who claims illegitimate power over my home nation." Pyrites snarled letting out a little of his hatred of Hermione and all that she stood for.

"My willingness to listen being what it is, let's keep the racial slurs out of it while you are in my hospitality, shall we." Seamus interrupted with a dark look at Pyrites. Pyrites suddenly realized that he had been seconds away from becoming a human pincushion and that was not the way he planned to die, this was the last time he would underestimate the Leprechaun.

"My best friend is a first-generation bender and a high ranking Chosen who risked his life to get me through the blockade when he returned to the bitch's side following the Battle of the Elemental Academy." Seamus continued, still glaring at Pyrites. "Without who's information I would have been publicly executed years ago. Not that he knows he is helping one of the rebel groups, I have had to dupe him to secure the information I need to stay one step ahead of the authorities."

"Ok that explains my question regarding how you got past the blockade, only a high ranking Chosen could get someone past without facing a truth seeker." Pyrites said. "Very well, I shall endeavor to keep my tongue in check so as to avoid being killed here, we have a lot of important shit to discuss right now."

"Good idea." Seamus said still not showing Pyrites his hands, something Pyrites would do should he be in Seamus's position. "Now what do you want from me and my organization, it is clear that you are no fan of Hermione's, that mark on your arm can only be made by one person and he has long been removed from society. Talk and I will see if we can work together."

"What I want from you is your aid and manpower in bringing the bitch down, be it in chains or a body bag." Pyrites said glad to be getting down to business at last. "As for why I am here, well despite my philosophical views, I believe Firelord Druzok is still the legitimate leader of the Fire Nation and should be restored to the throne. Also my deal with the world leaders that grants me a lifetime parole within the Fire Nation is conditional on me helping the rebels succeed in overthrowing Hermione by using my own personal contacts in any way possible. My first job was to get a 5-person team into the Fire Nation and equip them to be able to gather intel in order to take down Hermione. Perhaps you have heard of them, they call themselves the Liberation from Tyrants Movement, the LFTM, an insurrection movement they have created since getting here."

"And I assume you have proof of all this." Seamus said after a moment to think over Pyrites's offer.

"I have proof of both my mission and my connection to the LFTM." Pyrites said with a smirk as he prepared to hand everything he had over to convince Seamus to help him.

Pyrites handed over the letter of the deal with Druzok that included his mission from the exiled Firelord, the letter from Harry about the liberation of Jang Hui, the bloody name tag of the General who commanded the factory there, and a collection of photos from the liberation of Jang Hui that could only have been taken by someone present at the time. Seamus perused all of the info and evidence for a moment before setting them down and looking Pyrites in the eye.

"Very well, Death Eater." The Leprechaun said with deliberate scorn when he referenced Pyrites's former affiliation. "You have the support of the Green Brigade and I can get you an intro with the Griffins that you will need so as to get them on board with this plan as well. Now we have a lot of work to prepare to make this a success and limited time to get it done."

* * *

Pyrites spent the next 3 weeks in discussion with Seamus regarding the resources and forces of the Green Brigade and how they would be utilized in the upcoming open rebellion that they were planning. The Green Brigade had a solid number of skilled fighters, a mix of fire, earth and nonbenders, scattered across the southern part of the Fire Nation.

With the liberation of Jang Hui and then riots in Fire Fountain City the day before, Hermione's grip was starting to weaken. They knew that the best chance in years to attack was fast approaching, no one wanted to waste that opportunity.

Pyrites learned that Seamus had been building a web of informants and manpower for that inevitable confrontation, as much as he could with the FUICEE spying on everyone, but without outside support it would be a hard battle against Hermione's numerical advantage. Pyrites had assured Seamus that the team he had brought in was a crack team that could more than handle the problem if they had enough backup from the Green Brigade and the Griffins. After the riots in and subsequent fall of Fire Fountain City, Seamus seemed to agree with Pyrites's assessment.

Pyrites was confident that the between the Green Brigade, the Griffins once he assessed them, and the Sun Warriors who had revolted a month ago and not been seen since, that they stood a good chance of success. Now he was in his satomobile again, this time heading north to a town called Puddlemere in an increasingly unstable country.

As he drove, Pyrites noted that the military within the country, at least the forces not involved with the blockade, was steadily returning to the capital. Pyrites was sure that they were doing it to add more support and protection for the bitch in charge as the net was beginning to close in on her.

Speaking of Hermione, she had begun to get even more vocal and passionate in her speeches in what Pyrites felt was a failed attempt rally support to her tyrannical regime. He got the feeling that Hermione was desperate and that as more citizens realized that resistance was possible, her iron grip on power would continue to loosen until it was broken entirely. The addition of the Griffins would help to break Hermione's grip on power.

Seamus had been vague about the Griffins when Pyrites had asked for more information on them. Seamus had admitted that he knew the leader Wood but wouldn't say anymore other than to provide the letter of introduction that would get Pyrites a meeting with the Griffin's leader. Seamus had also told Pyrites that he would find Wood's representative in the probending facility in Puddlemere, that was where Pyrites had to take the letter.

Pyrites did not know the town well, but it was near to Ember Island and as such Pyrites had a small place on the outskirts of Puddlemere just in case he needed to be within striking distance of Ember Island. It was close enough to get to Ember Island in a decent time should Pyrites need to visit the famous island, but far enough away to avoid suspicion.

Again, the safe house near Puddlemere was a small innocuous place that Hermione or her cronies would have had no interest in taking it as their own. It took him 4 days to reach Puddlemere but on the way he learned more of the events in Fire Fountain City and was amused to learn that Hermione had silenced the reports that the Avatar himself was there. She was clearly afraid now and on the ropes, Pyrites was sure that they would be able to take Hermione down soon.

Pyrites knew from Team Avatar that Harry had used both lavabending and the Avatar State while fighting in Fire Fountain City so it was interesting, but not surprising, that Hermione was playing it down. Likely she knew that if the populace had learned that the Avatar had come to the Fire Nation to oppose her and save them, then the people would be more motivated to rise up and join Harry.

Team Avatar had gone to ground and were hiding again which was a good move on their part given the heightened tensions. It was the perfect decision, let Hermione's paranoia and fear fester as she waited for the inevitable attack on her. It would make that attack a lot more effective when it happened, it was what the Dark Lord had done to Republic City after his announcement and that had worked out well at the time.

All was going to plan and Pyrites loved it when a plan was coming together. All he had to do was meet with the Griffins and get them on his side and they could begin the final stage of his deal and bring the mudblood cunt down.

Pyrites parked by the small house he kept near Puddlemere and made sure the place was still in good shape before once more changing out of a fake FUICEE agent's suit and into what he had worn to meet Seamus and heading into the town on foot. It didn't take him long to find the probending complex.

The complex had once housed a team called Puddlemere United that played in the Probending League. However, with the blockade, all Fire Nation based teams had been unable to compete and Hermione had banned the sport because she saw it as frivolous and pointless.

To Hermione, the sports were a distraction that prevented the people from working for the betterment of her Utopia. Little did she know that the people needed a break from work and probending allowed for that much needed break. By banning it, Hermione had made more animosity for her from the people and as such they were less productive for her. A mistake that worked in the rebels favor.

Pyrites entered the reception area and was greeted by a pretty receptionist dressed in a simple brown and red outfit. She had a small golden griffin on her left breast and Pyrites couldn't help by smile.

The Griffins were a lesser known rebel group and could hide better in plain sight. No one would associate a fashionable pin, all the rage with the young Hermione loyalists who called themselves social justice warriors, so people could show their support for the rebel group while pretending to be Hermione loyalists.

"How may I help you sir." The receptionist said with a charming smile. "Are you here for a workout. or just want to learn more about our gym and the services we off. Alas we no longer have probending games, but the gym is open to the public for a fee, be it a one-time deal for a traveler or a monthly membership. The Empress does encourage physical fitness in her loyal and hardworking subjects."

"I am here to see the head trainer." Pyrites said using the title the Seamus had said was associated with the mysterious Wood. "I have been expected for a few days now. I believe his compatriot in New Kenmare sent a letter on my behalf regarding my arrival at some point this week depending on travel conditions. I have this letter of introduction as well to verify I am the person what is supposed to meet him."

Pyrites handed the letter over to the receptionist who took it and didn't open it only placed it next to her and pulled up a clipboard. She then picked out a pen from a nearby pen pot and looked up at Pyrites.

"Name sir?" She asked.

"Sbïo." Pyrites said using another of his aliases and the one he had told Seamus to use in his notification letter to Wood.

"Ah yes I see your name." The receptionist said finding it on the sheet and putting a mark next to it with her pen before pursing her lips. "I see there is no time associated with your appointment, just to let Katie know once you arrived. Do you have ID?"

"Katie?" Pyrites asked as he handed over the slightly dated fake ID for his current alias. "I apologize for it being a little dated, I have been inaccessible for a few years and unable to get a new one that shows my new beard."

"It is quite alright sir." The receptionist said studying it with an expert eye before attaching it to her clipboard. "Few here want to get the Fire Utopia ID unless they absolutely have to, which is often the case, but we accept older IDs from before the Empress freed us from the oppression of the Firelords. Katie is the head trainer's personal assistant, and everything must go through her before it reaches him, I'm sure you can understand. I shall run this info to her right away. Please, take a seat while you wait."

Pyrites thanked the woman and took a seat in the reception area trying to act less calm than he was as if he were here for an interview and was nervous about it as the receptionist left to fetch Katie, whoever she was. Pyrites had to admit, the receptionist played her part as a loyal supporter of Hermione well, she was likely an active member of the Griffins and not just a supporter of them as Pyrites had initially thought.

A few minutes later the receptionist returned with an attractive and athletic looking young woman with long brown hair pulled back into a simple ponytail. Pyrites was curious as to why there were so many young people getting involved in with the various rebel groups, but he just assumed it had something to do with the fact that it was likely the next generation's time to lead the world. After all, he and Voldemort had been part of the old guard, an old guard that the world no longer truly needed.

"Mr. Sbïo if you would like to follow me." Katie said handing the ID back to Pyrites as soon as she reached him. "The head trainer has been waiting for you and will see you in his office now."

"Thank you." Pyrites said as he rose and followed the athletic woman.

She took the spymaster up to the top floor of the complex, after he had once again had to divest himself of all his weapons with a security guard, and to a door that was simply marked with a plaque saying Head Trainer. Curios as to who Wood was Pyrites waited for the knock that Katie applied and an affirmative from the man on the other side allowing them to enter.

Pyrites walked into a standard office with a few chairs, trophies in niches and pictures on the walls, the standard office of a probending trainer. Sitting behind a simple wooden desk was a well built and burly man in his mid-twenties who was currently looking over the letter of introduction from Seamus. Pyrites took all this in in a glance as he crossed the threshold into the office.

Katie closed the door as soon as Pyrites had entered but remained in the room with them. Once the door was closed, the man looked up and Pyrites recognized him as quickly as he had recognized Seamus, though this time he actually knew who the man was and not because of his parents.

"Sbïo please have a seat." The last probending Rookie of the Year before Voldemort took power in the United Republic, a firebender called Oliver, said gesturing to one of the chairs in front of his desk. "We have much to discus, starting with your real name and why the fuck I am holding a message from the Leprechaun proclaiming that I can trust you to aid us in taking down the cunt who has ruined the Fire Nation. Also you can explain to me why the Leprechaun has decided that it is time to combine our forces in open rebellion."

Pyrites smirked as he sat down in what he presumed was another chair with arrows or crossbow bolts pointed at it. Now all he had to do was persuade another rebel leader of his and the Avatar's cause. Fortunately, this time it should be a little easier.

"I am Lord Pyrites." Pyrites said with pride. "Well, the former Lord Pyrites to be accurate. Kinda lost my title on account of my multiple felony convictions."

Pyrites proceeded to tell Oliver the same as story he had told Seamus a few weeks ago. Once again, the letter from Druzok as well as proof from Harry as the leader of the LFTM and with the addition of the letter from Seamus enabled him to persuade Oliver of his seriousness.

Without truth seers it all came down to the mutual desire to remove Hermione from her tyrannical regime to assure the trust, along with evidence and the fact that Pyrites was a Death Eater so the polar opposite of Hermione. They would have to work together to remove Hermione and then Pyrites would quietly retire and let the world be run by moderates.

Throughout the talk, Pyrites leaned that Katie was Oliver's fiancé and that he had ensured that she would get into the country by using he connections in the military after she had fought in the Battle of the Elemental Academy. It hadn't been easy but Oliver's celebrity status as one of the best up and coming probenders had ensured that Katie was able to return to her home unmolested in more ways than one.

She had been like Seamus in her distrust of Pyrites based on his Dark Mark but in the end, he had been able to persuade her that in times like this enemies were forced to work together to take down the greater threat. He had also assured both Katie and Oliver that he was the only former Death Eater or Purist involved and that the members of the LFTM were Royalists who wanted to see a return of the Avatar.

Pyrites had also learned that Oliver had been running the Griffins for the last 2 years after seeing the success of the Green Brigade in evading the authorities. The Griffins were a smaller organization focused mainly in the north of the Fire Nation with their primary goal being the gaining of information on Hermione and her government.

Though he lacked the manpower that the Green Brigade had, Oliver had more contacts within the capital through his time as a probender and his status as an All Star and Rookie of the Year. A status that Hermione couldn't take away from him and that shielded Oliver from retribution without a massive amount of proof.

Oliver had further ingrained himself by showing his support for Hermione. His humble background allowed him to do so easily whereas Seamus was known to have come from the upper class and couldn't fake support for Hermione, and used that to get a closer access to her than most who weren't in her inner circle could. It was a position he rightfully exploited, much to Pyrites's approval.

From what Pyrites could gather, Oliver had known Seamus from the Academy and was one of the few who knew Seamus's real identity and vice versa. They had agreed to remain in their respective regions and only unite when they either had the strength to take down Hermione without outside help, or a sign was given to them that the outside world had finally come to their aid. Pyrites provided that sign with his presence alone, his LFTM connections further proved this.

However, the main thing he brought to the table that Pyrites was really concerned with was a connection to the missing Prince Charlie, the leader of the third and most recent rebel group. They had played together on a bending tournament winning team during Oliver's days at the Academy, so Oliver agreed to reach out to Charlie and see if they can arrange a meeting between Pyrites and Charlie.

Pyrites knew that it would be hard to secure such a meeting as Charlie was actively wanted for treason and murder for his actions in freeing the Sun Warriors and the dragons, though his royal identity was still not known to Hermione, but Oliver was certain that they could set up a meeting. It would take time, but Pyrites could wait for it, it was too important a meeting to pass up.

If that could happen, and Pyrites could get the three main rebel forces together, he could reach out to Harry and sort out a meeting of them all to plan the assault on the palace. If Seamus and Oliver saw that the Avatar was her in the flesh, any lingering doubts that they had about Pyrites would vanish in an instant. The Avatar could unite them all.

* * *

It took two weeks to arrange the meeting, but after traveling to meet Charlie, Oliver was able to secure a meeting in Charlie's camp between Pyrites and Charlie. Pyrites had spent the two weeks in Puddlemere preparing with Oliver and Katie while also checking in on Ember Island to see if any of his contacts there were still active, or at the very least alive and free.

Alas many of contacts on Ember Island had been wealthy nobles or at least upper class individuals who had been arrested for being part of the nobility and therefore tools of Iroh's oppression of the common people in Hermione's warped mind. Pyrites had hoped to find some activity there, but all he found was information that all his contacts had been arrested and either executed or sent to the prison camps while Hermione's cronies had moved into the luxury houses, claiming them as their own. It had sickened Pyrites so he had returned to Puddlemere for the remainder of his time there.

As the second week was wrapping up Oliver and Katie came out to Pyrites's place. They had been there before but Pyrites knew that this time was different. He could tell that it would be time to go on the move again soon.

"Charlie will see you in his compound." Oliver said as he approached the former Death Eater waiting outside his safe house. "But he doesn't trust you, so he is taking a few precautions."

"That is his prerogative." Pyrites said with a nod. "I understand and will comply with his rules, he is the one who has the upper hand right now and can thus call the shots."

"Turn around." Katie ordered, and Pyrites did as she commanded knowing what he would feel. Sure, enough he felt a pair of handcuffs tighten around his wrists, at least it was better than the full restraints he had endured during his time in captivity.

"Platinum?" Pyrites asked as he turned back around.

"Of course." Oliver said with a nod. "Can't be too cautious, especially given your alleged firebending abilities. I presume you are unarmed."

"I can respect the thought." Pyrites said as Katie lead him to the satomobile they would be taking to see Charlie. "And yes I am, I do not need blades to defend myself here, they are only for cover when I am out but I will submit to a search whenever and wherever to prove it."

Oliver just nodded again at Pyrites as the spymaster was led to the vehicle. Once they were in the satomobile, Katie pulled out a hood and placed it over Pyrites's head.

"Well I can see Charlie has limited trust." Pyrites said from under the hood. "I respect his desire to keep his base a secret from a man who's trade was once information that he was not supposed to have access to."

"Well he only trusts us because of our history and well yours isn't exactly the best." Oliver said as he began to drive. "He already knew about you before I met him, but while he says the source that vouched for you was even more credible than me, he still doesn't want to take any chances."

"Very well, let's get this shit over with." Pyrites said knowing full well what source would have vouched for him with Charlie that was more credible than Oliver.

As the satomobile pulled onto the main road, Pyrites sat back and decided to doze off while Oliver and Katie drove him to meet Prince Charlie. There was no need for conversation while he was handcuffed and hooded.

* * *

Pyrites was woken a few hours later by a the satomobile going over a large bump in the road. He was still hooded and cuffed, so he knew they still had a ways to go before they reached Charlie's camp.

Pyrites had to respect the caution these people employed. The times demanded them but still it was what he would have done during peace time to maintain his cover. It was nice to work with fellow professionals, even if unlike him these people had been forced into the role and not chosen a life of shadows as he had chosen over a quarter of a century ago.

Pyrites knew that if it hadn't had been for the evidence he carried with him he would have been shut down back in New Kenmare and been forced to rethink his strategy, if he wasn't killed outright that is. Fortunately, the Avatar hadn't expected him to get it all done on his own and had pitched in by helping him when Pyrites needed it. Without Harry, none of this would have ultimately been possible.

After another few hours of silence Pyrites felt the satomobile slow down and then 15 minutes later come to a stop. At last they were at Charlie's rebel camp.

"This be the man you spoke ter us about?" Pyrites heard a deep voice say in a very rural, common accent ask.

"He is." Oliver replied. "Is he in?"

"Aye he's in his tent, he just got back from feedin' Norberta." The clearly older man said.

"I didn't face any checkpoints getting in." Oliver noted. Pyrites wanted to nod at that obvious lack of oversight.

"The Sun Warriors are masters of stealth, or don't ya recall." The man said with a note of pride in his deep voice. "If you had been a hostile we would have stopped yer and likely fed you to the dragons fer dinner. Ya would nev'r gotten tis far if we didn't know ya were friendly."

"Very well." Oliver said and Pyrites had to give the probender credit for his calm. "Take us to the Prince."

"Follow me." The man said.

Pyrites heard the doors opened and then a masculine hand that had to be Oliver's pull him out of the satomobile. He could feel Oliver and Katie flanking him as he was led a short distance over what felt like smooth grassland. There was a pause and Pyrites heard the flap of a tent being raised and he was ushered inside. All he heard as the flap was closed was a dull, scraping. sound.

"You can remove the hood now." A new voice said with a distinct Southern Water Tribe accent with the cultural inflections of a highborn pureblood to it. "I am sure a man of your reputation doesn't mind the precautions, do you Pyrites."

"Not at all, in fact I respect them and as such respect y'all a lot more because of them." Pyrites said as the hood was removed and he saw the Prince for the first time.

Charlie wore full Southern Water Tribal warrior get up minus the war paint on his face. His long red hair hung down by his shoulders and was braided to one side with a dark blue band. Charlie looked like the typical Southern Warrior that Pyrites knew he was.

The Prince was sitting in a wooden chair in the Spartan tent, all the tent had was a cot and a few chests of equipment and supplies. Pyrites could make out the strap of a water skin across the noble's chest, but his eyes were drawn to the large, double handed, beautifully made, battle axe in Charlie's lap that he was idly sharpening as he looked at Pyrites

Looking around Pyrites saw another man, the one who had greeted them most likely, standing in the tent. He stood at least 8 feet tall and had a crossbow on his back and a massive war hammer on his belt that Pyrites did not want to be on the receiving end of.

Unlike the others, this man looked older than even Pyrites with a thick and messy black beard and hair. He had to be the head dragon trainer, Hagrid. Pyrites knew little of the man other than that he had an affinity for the original firebenders and was not someone Pyrites wanted to mess with.

"Though I won't lie I am not a fan of the cuffs." Pyrites said as he returned his gaze to Charlie. "I've spend too long in them for my tastes. Enough time to last the rest of my hopefully long life."

"Just another precaution given your reputed skill with fire." Charlie said before nodding and Oliver went behind Pyrites and unlocked them. Pyrites absently rubbed his wrists as he continued to look at the Prince.

"So, I know you know of my mission and who has tasked me with it." Pyrites said calmly. "And that it comes from a trustworthy source. So why all the song and dance to get me here?"

"It does come from a source I trust implicitly." Charlie said with a smile. "But I wanted to see you in person first, however, before I made my own assessment of you. You are a fascinating man after all, given what you have done and where you are right now. So, how has your mission gone? I heard a bit about it just before we freed the dragons and the Sun Warriors."

"Good seeing as I have persuaded both the Griffins and the Green Brigade to join forces and that the time is almost right." Pyrites said with a grin at Charlie. "I only need to persuade you and the Sun Warriors to join then we can get meet with the advanced guard and plan the final stage. Once I find out where said advanced guard is of course."

"I can see you have accomplished your goal, and you have our assistance in this as well as the dragons and the Sun Warriors." Charlie said before putting the axe down and taking out a letter and handing it to Pyrites. "This came to me via a spirit messenger after I informed my sources that I had been approached by you. After reading it I needed you here to confirm it before we acted. It has the information on where the advanced guard is in in, but only you can figure it out I think."

Pyrites took the letter and began to read. It was in code but Pyrites knew of only one group the letter could have come from.

 _Tres,_

 _We are settled and safe for the time being. Tell our mutual friend that we are where his family used to stay while visiting the palace, he should know where that is. My fiancé is prepared for the bachelor party so long as everything is in place, again our mutual friend should have the details worked out by the time he finds you. My fiancé wishes for you, along with the others our mutual friend has acquainted himself with over the last few weeks, to meet us in the aforementioned place half a cycle's hence. Have him read this the day that you meet him and have him send a letter back to the same way to confirm the plan. We are still a while from the bachelor party, but he wants all those who have worked tirelessly to make this happen to come and go over the last few details with him personally. The time is soon, and it will be a day to remember for years to come._

 _Octa._

Pyrites quirked a smile at the code. It took him a while to make sense of the code and even after he had deduced that it had been written by Ginny, the feminine handwriting and reference to a bachelor party gave it away, he still had no idea what she had meant by half a cycle or the names used. A strange feeling for Pyrites as he could usually crack a code given time.

"Half a cycle?" Pyrites asked. "What does she mean by that?"

"2 weeks from now." Charlie answered. "She is referring to the lunar cycle that all waterbenders are intimately familiar with. In 2 weeks the moon will be full and allow for the best waterbending so that three of them are as powerful as possible when we all meet up."

"Oh, clever." Pyrites said nodding. "And the names?"

"References to our places back home." Charlie said with a grin, clearly not wanting to tip off Oliver and Katie to who they would be meeting in 2 weeks. Pyrites agreed with Charlie on that front, there was more fun in the shock value of the Avatar suddenly appearing in the very heart of the Fire Nation.

"So, do you know where they are?" Charlie asked.

"I do, they are in a safe house in the Capital, one of many I have there and likely the only that they could all fit in and that hasn't been claimed by Hermione or her allies." Pyrites said thinking over his many safe houses in the capital. "I shall tell them that you agree then, once you give me some paper to respond to Octa's message that is."

"I do, and I assume Oliver and Katie do as well." Charlie said, and Pyrites saw the couple nod at this. "Then Oliver, contact Seamus and have him come here within a fortnight. He should be able to leave the Green Brigade for a few weeks in the hands of his lieutenants and it is easier for him to travel alone."

"Will do." Oliver said. "We have our own code, I will let him know that this is of the utmost importance and requires all of the rebel leaders."

"Good." Charlie said with a nod.

"I'm coming with you." Hagrid said firmly.

"No Hagrid." Charlie said raising a hand when the big man began to object. "We need you here to care for the dragons, you are the best trainer we have and if we need an emergency backup you will be it. Also, no offense, but your size is hardly inconspicuous and the pair of us are wanted for treason, terrorism, murder, theft, and desecration of a sacred place. There is a high price on our heads and if we are caught we will be tortured and publicly executed, I alone will take this risk right now. Begin coordinating the pack up the camp and the move to the final location."

"I understand." Hagrid said after a moment. "I may not agree with yer but I can see where yer are coming from."

"Well what are we waiting for then?" Pyrites asked rhetorically as he rubbed his hands together. "We have 2 weeks until the meeting in the Capital and a lot of shit to do in that time. Let's get to work!"

* * *

The next 2 weeks flew by in a blur of work for the former spymaster. He had to make sure everything was in place and ready to go while also ensuring that Seamus was up to speed with the developments and their plan to get into the Capital.

The plan call for all of them to travel into the capital separately and then meet in Freedom Square, a central place in the city that Hermione had renamed after taking power s as to aid her attempt at a cult of personality. From there they would all travel to the safe house where the Avatar was.

By the end of the 2 weeks, Pyrites was ready to head to the capital and finally put the last stage of the plan into action. If all went smoothly, he would be a completely free man in a matter of weeks, months at most.

When the time came to make their way to the Capital, Pyrites drove into the city in his FUICEE getup so as to avoid suspicion, and parked the satomobile in an underground complex under the brothel he owned. He was pleased to see the area hadn't changed much in his time away. Sex was sex after all and the people needed it, even if they were mudblood loving hypocrites.

Once parked and the car was secure, Pyrites grabbed his bag, slung it over his shoulder, raised his hood and headed to Freedom Square. Despite the circumstance, Pyrites was glad to be back in Royal Caldera City, it was his home after all and the place he knew best in the world. As such, he knew the fasted way to Freedom Square.

The square was dominated by a metal statue of Hermione, likely made out of solid gold given the color and shine, dressed in rags with bleeding whip marks all over her body as she was standing broken chains still attached to her wrists and looking up to the sky in joy. It was clearly part of Hermione's narcissism and attempt to show her accomplishments in freeing the nation, but it just came off as vain and tacky.

Pyrites had to resist shaking his head at this obviously false and metaphoric statue as Iroh had never enslaved his populace. That supposed tyranny was all in the mind of the Enlightened because Iroh's laws had gone against their own views. It always came down to power and the Enlightened, like all other extremist groups, just wanted power in the end. Soon Pyrites would help strip them of that power.

In short order Oliver and Katie appeared looking like a couple coming to pay homage to their Empress and her struggle for freedom from her perception of tyranny so that she could implement her own tyranny. They stopped at the base of the statue to offer a wreath of flowers in memory of those who had suffered under Iroh before they left and headed over to where Pyrites was standing against a wall.

After them came Charlie in a hooded cloak, his axe on his back causing many to give him a wide berth as they likely assumed that he was a member of the Blades. A good disguise and as the only one of them actually on the wanted posters in the city, a disguise that would make people stay away from him and not look too hard at his face.

Lastly Seamus arrived in the military uniform of a junior officer. There was enough military in the city to look at home in the Capital and Seamus carried himself as an officer in Hermione's military would. Arrogant, confident, and assured of his position in Hermione's ideal society.

That was one thing that Pyrites had noticed since getting to the Capital, the military buildup inside the caldera. The city was still accessible to the people to come and go as they pleased, within reason of course, but there was now a curfew enforced by the Enforcers of Enlightenment and the military.

Random checks and sudden arrests were frequent and common which was why Pyrites kept the false FUICEE ID on him at all times. One flash of it and a growl would cause any to walk away out of fear that the FUICEE might take them away then and there. Pyrites knew fear, he could play to it and exploit it, it would serve him well while they were in the Capital.

Shortly after Seamus arrived, Pyrites walked across the square and began to lead the rebel leaders on a circuitous route to the safe house that would pick up any tails so they could deal with them, while also looking like they weren't all together. Fortunately, they were able to avoid being followed and in short order they were near the safe house. They all gathered together at the end of the street where Pyrites had stopped.

"Ok let's go." Pyrites said once Seamus, the last of them, joined the group. "They should have my hidden surveillance equipment up and running, if they figured out how to access it, and be expecting us. Given that this is the time we said we would be here, no one else should be where we are. One of them can 'see' using seismic sense so he will have confirmed us by now. They will be cautious and could easily defeat us in a fight, but with me here they will know that y'all are friendly."

"Well let's go meet your mysterious team that you haven't told us who they are." Seamus said with a hint of eagerness in his voice at meeting the people who Pyrites had helped enter the Fire Nation and who had created the LFTM.

Pyrites just smirked at the man and led them to the safe house. As soon as he got there, he heard the many locks being disengaged and the door opened for them on its own accord. Quickly they entered and Pyrites looked around as the door shut behind them.

Ron was leaning on the wall, his machete loose in his hand and a ball of water in the other. Next to him was Luna, unarmed but coiled to strike with a powerful gust of air. Ginny sat at the table as if nothing was going on. Though he couldn't see him, Pyrites felt Neville standing behind them by the door. All but Harry were present and prepared for any possible outcome.

After a moments pause, Harry walked in from the master bedroom. The Avatar was clean shaven and in full Earth Kingdom garb, complete with his distinctive headband to make it clear to all who he was. Pyrites smiled as he heard 3 voices behind him gasp and ask in unison.

"Avatar Harry?"

 **Again sorry that this was delayed a few days, real life is a bitch sometimes. Also sorry that this chapter is so long, the edits added a lot to it and there was a lot to cover and set up for future chapters. The next two chapters will take a different approach as they look at Hermione, how she came to power, her actions, beliefs, philosophy and reactions to the events that have occurred so far. This is done to show more of her and how she became the despot she is depicted as in Book 2, as well as to set the final pieces in motion for the upcoming rebellion.** ** **That's enough for this long chapter** **, keep letting me know what you think of this story in the reviews and any questions asked in reviews or PMs to me will be answered at the start of next week's chapter when it is released, hopefully once again on time. Until next week.****

 ** **Stringdog****


	21. Chapter 21

**Here is the 21st chapter of Book 2. Sorry that this is late, real life and stress caught up with me this week so it took a lot longer than planned to finalize the edits to this chapter. This is the first of the two chapter story arc that looks into Hermione's reign and take on the events of and before Book 2. Nothing else new to add here so sit back and enjoy the latest installment in Avatar: The Tale of Harry. Book 2: Equality.  
**

 **Disclaimer: As always I won nothing related to either of these two great works of fiction.**

 **Chapter 21**

 **Hermione's Tale**

 **Part 1: Ascension**

At last the moment Hermione had been waiting for all her life had finally arrived. Hermione could feel it in the air, after waiting 16 years for her birthright the time had come to claim it. It was going to have to be by force as the foolish leaders of the world wouldn't give her what she knew she rightfully deserved, but that no longer mattered to Hermione.

While it was true that Hermione should be given all she asked for without question, the foolish and unenlightened World Leaders didn't recognize her brilliance. They would soon learn just how enlightened she was and why her views were meant to be law. In a few short hours she would be in her rightful position and be able to implement her views on equality, tolerance and social justice as the laws she knew they were always meant to be.

Hermione had known that ruling the Fire Nation into a bright and new age of equality was her destiny ever since Master Leach had discovered her intelligence and skill at that the Royal Firebending School she had been sent to after her bending manifested. Master Leach opened her mind to the truths of the world, as well as other parts of her to the pleasures of the world, before she got too old for him.

Master Leach had been her mentor in all aspects of life and it was because of Leach's tutelage that she had become the youngest ever member of the Enlightened at the age of 10 after she showed her unnatural intelligence to the other members of the Enlightened. Hermione had then gone to the Elemental Academy to find more Chosen and to recruit them to the just cause that her mentor had instructed her in. Also while at the Academy, she would be able to hone her views into the codified set of laws that they had to become in order to free the Fire Nation from tyranny.

She had been told that only through the views of the Enlightened could racism, sexist, bigotry, homophobia, classism, intolerance and all the other injustices in the world could be solved and ended for good. If her views, enhanced by the teachings of her fellow Enlightened, were laws then the world would be a much better, fairer, and more equal place.

Only her views were needed in the world, all others views were wrong and should be outlawed for the harm they caused to the world and its people. She had the authority and the wisdom to correct all injustices in the world and make it a better place. Hermione knew that one day she would, it was her destiny. Today was the dawn of a new age for the Fire Nation.

Hermione had known that she was a prodigy, both in firebending and intelligence, from before she had even joined the Royal Firebending School. Master Leach had seen that in her and mentored it so that it could flourish. He had seen other things in her that made her feel special, but those were things she would never tell another living soul as Master Leach had sworn her to secrecy on them and she trusted him implicitly. Master Leach was one of the few who knew the truth and who kept her on her righteous path when she had started at the Academy and begun to doubt herself a bit when she was around so many other, contradicting views and other firebenders who did not see her true potential.

Hermione had doubted herself when she began at the Academy because she was not seen by Masters Albus, Minerva and the other firebending masters as the firebending prodigy she had known herself to be. True they knew she was the smartest student in the first year, if not the entire school, but her bending was seen as an average at best. Hermione knew that the assessment Master Albus had made of her was inaccurate but no one was listening to her at the Academy.

That was why she had to train extra hard to prove to them that they were wrong and that Master Leach had been right, for the Enlightened were always right. Her memory, her greatest asset, allowed her to memorize all the forms of firebending in the scrolls and books and how to apply them correctly to any situation. It just took her a little time to master them to the standards that Master Albus wanted, standards higher than those of Master Leach.

Despite this, Hermione had known that she was a master before even starting but Albus hadn't allowed her to take her test until her third year despite the fact that she was already master and knew that the test was just an elitist ploy by the purebloods to put down first generation benders like herself. It was clear from the moment Hermione set foot on the campus of the Elemental Academy that Albus was just another intolerant, racist, bigot to her as he opposed her wishes and ideas with the traditions of the past.

Hermione had been taught by the Enlightened to believe that any who weren't behind her fully were against her, something she knew was true because of her time at the Elemental Academy. Only those who shared her views exactly and follow them without question and in blind obedience of her wishes weren't racists, bigots and intolerant assholes.

When Albus did allow her to take the test during her third year, after finally determining that she was ready to take it, few in the Fire House volunteered to face her. She knew this was because they were afraid of being humiliated by a superior bender who was younger than they were and was a first generation bender, not an elitist pureblood. Hermione knew that she was better than them from the moment she arrived and the few who volunteered to face her proved that they also knew deep down that she was better than them.

As Master Leach had said when he had first met her, she was one of the few Chosen, benders who had touched by Raava herself to have firebending at birth despite their parents lack of it and that inherently made her better than the purebloods who had inherited their bending. Bending was diluted as it passed through the generations, that was what Leach had taught her, only those who were born with it to nonbenders were truly pure, only those who were first generation benders were truly powerful.

If she needed any proof of this, she just had to look at some of the most skilled benders from history. Benders like Katara, Toph, and even the evil Zaheer, along with many more were born to nonbenders. These were all first generation benders who had been the best at their respective elements. They proved to Hermione that first generation benders were inherently better that the elitist purebloods and their bigoted views on bending purity.

Much to Hermione's utter humiliation, she was soundly beaten in her first attempt at the firebending mastery test. She had decided to face the best bender to volunteer against her and she had expected to beat him comfortable due to her clear superiority. Instead, she was handily beaten. The other firebender had used moves not in the books or scrolls that she had memorized, so she had correctly determined that he had cheated and claimed victory and thus mastery over firebending.

Of course the bigots who ran the Fire House had disagreed with her and she had been forced to return to training with the other advanced non-masters as she hadn't displayed enough skill during her defeat to be deemed a master. The defeat had fueled her even more to show the intolerant and incorrect teachers that she was the prodigy that she knew herself to be.

As such, Hermione tried several times more against the top benders who had volunteered to face her. Each time she faced them, she lost, and each time she knew they had cheated but was told she was wrong. Hermione knew that she was never wrong, therefore she knew that the masters where prejudiced against her because she was a mudblood and were denying her the rank of master out of sheer prejudice and bigotry.

Eventually Hermione realized the only way to prove to the intolerant assholes that ran the Fire House that she was as good as she knew herself to be was too win a fire mastery test. Therefore, she found one of her many allies and willing followers in the Fire House who had just become a master despite a defeat, and being younger than Hermione, and beat her in a bout to earn the rank of master firebender during her third year. Admittedly her follower was terrified of Hermione's skills and had thrown the fight but a win was a win in Hermione's book and it finally got her the recognition she deserved.

Hermione had known that all the pure and halfbloods she had lost to over the year had been her inferiors and had cheated because of her superior skill but she would have to live with the fact that only she and her followers at the Academy knew the truth, as with almost everything else. Only her and those who followed her views as the laws they should be knew the truths of the world. Only they could lead and speak the truths, everyone else was meant to follow her without question.

Over Hermione's 3 and a third years at the Academy, she had been able to gain a decent following from amongst the student body. Mainly it was first generation benders, those who were Chosen, and who came from common roots just like her. They knew the struggles that she had faced as they too had experienced the prejudice of the pureblood elites and the Purists and as such flocked to her like the lambs they were supposed to be.

Hermione had molded those who had fallen for her truths into the perfect, loyal, obedient, and unquestioning followers. They all agreed with her that they were the true elites, the true intellectuals, and that they alone were the best benders in the world. They were the Chosen and they knew it, they were meant to be her highest echelon of followers who executed her orders without fail and without mercy if necessary for Hermione was going to change the world by any means necessary.

She also recruited others to her cause from the ranks of nonbenders and commoners alike at the Academy, as well as those of noble birth who's guilt caused them to side with her and use their wealth and influence as she ordered. However, most of those who joined Hermione during her Academy days were those who had faced discrimination or had realized the systemic, institutional, discrimination of the elites after she explained it to them and opened their eyes to what they had faced.

These were the people who were fed up with the inequalities that ran rampant in the world they all called home. They were all fed up with the elites, the privileged and others who dominated them with their tyranny and oppression simply because they had wealth and/or a familial history of bending. Hermione was able to persuade her followers that she, and she alone, was the only true leader that he world needed. Only an enlightened individual like herself was able to be a true leaders, only she had a legitimate claim to leadership due to her vastly superior intelligence and wisdom on all things in the world.

Only an Enlightened had a right to lead, because only they had the intelligence, wisdom, and world views needed to restore equality and social justice to the world. All her followers accepted her as their leader and her correct views as the only ones that they needed to have. They all knew the truth she spoke to them and over her time at the Academy, she had built up the support she needed. However, there was still one person she needed under her thumb to truly affect the change she knew the world needed.

Hermione needed the the ultimate power in the world, she needed Avatar as her voice, her puppet, her loyal and faithful subordinate who did everything she said and believed everything she did. Most importantly, she needed what the Avatar could bring to the table as her willing disciple so that she could change the world, with his force if necessary, for the better. The Avatar could help her create a world that followed only her correct and tolerant views and in which all other views that were racist, elitist, bigoted and unjust were never heard of, taught, or even spoken again. Alas that would not be the case.

The Avatar was not one her earthbending devotees or one of the Chosen in the Earth House, but rather, he was the son of two benders from Omashu. Yes he wasn't as far right as the Purists at the school who were in the Earth House like Goyle, but still he wasn't with her and therefore he was automatically against her. Hermione knew that anyone who was against her was nothing more than an evil, intolerant, bigot.

However, Hermione was wiling to approach him and give Avatar Harry a chance to see the light of her undeniable wisdom. If the Avatar agreed then the world would quickly become a better place. If didn't agree to follow her views exactly as she spoke them, however, then he was intolerant, racist, bigoted, Purist and a sympathizer of tyrants. Harry had showed that he was the latter when he scorned her offer of council the day his status as the Avatar was announced. That day the Avatar dared to suggest that compromise, that understanding both sides would lead to the best result. The only good result was Hermione's result, everyone knew that.

Hermione had tried to tell the Avatar that the best result was her views and her views alone but he didn't, along with many other ignorant bigots, didn't see it that way. Oh well, it was his loss. She had tried to show the other students in the Fire House how wrong and intolerant the Avatar was but most only foolishly saw her as a bully who was blatantly lying about the Avatar, and for some unknown reason an intolerant bigot. Hermione knew that she was neither as the only thing she didn't tolerate was intolerance, and those whose views weren't in line with her own of course. Therefore she couldn't be intolerant as she was clearly opposed to intolerance.

When it came time for the Avatar's test for mastery in firebending, much sooner than hers which angered her as she had been a master from the start but she chalked it up to the Avatar's privilege as a pureblood and not his clearly inferior skill, Hermione knew that she had to volunteer to face him. She had known that after her justified and truthful campaign against what the legendary Korra's reincarnation stood for, an insult to Korra's memory in Hermione's mind, that Harry would chose her as his opponent and she was determined to prove him to be the inferior bender that he was. It would finally show the ignorant assholes in the Fire House that she was the best firebender to ever live.

Again, however, a pureblood cheated against her in order to win the match. Hermione knew that Harry had been earthbending during the match and that Albus was covering it up because Harry was a pureblood and she was a mudblood. Yes she had reacted badly, and in hindsight she probably shouldn't have attacked him with lightning, but she was just fed up of being seen as the villain when she was the one who would restore equality and bring justice to all once she put the purebloods and the elites in their proper place. That being said, Hermione knew that she was never wrong so even in this action she was justified.

In the long run, though, her actions were beneficial for the Enlightened's cause. Yes, she had been punished by the other Enlightened for revealing them as a threat to the world thus forcing Leach, Myrtle and Cresswell to go into hiding at their base, as well as getting expelled from the Academy. Despite this, she had left a few spies for them at the Academy as would keep her and the other Enlightened informed about the outside world while they planned their coup against the Firelord in secret and with the aid of their allies in the Fire Nation.

Then everything changed when Voldemort suddenly returned from his presumed death and the Second Purity War began. With the king of bigotry, intolerance, bending purity, and racism rising to power once more, the Enlightened had recalled as many Chosen as they could, sending them to the Fire Nation's Capital to prepare for the coup. Hermione also traveled to the Capital, in disguise of course as she was one of the most wanted people in the world, to coordinate and eventually lead the coup to liberate the Fire Nation. For months she had been lying low in a safe house owned by a shell company that was untraceable to the Enlightened as she slowly planned the revolution and waited for the right moment to strike.

They also began to instruct their agents in government, the Royal Fire Nation Military, and of course the many supporters they had in the working and student classes who knew that only the Enlightened would free them from the tyranny and oppression of Firelord Iroh, to get ready and prepare for action at a moments notice. Everyone would need to be in place so that they could all strike at the same time and succeed when the revolution finally happened.

Once the United Republic fell, Hermione knew that it would only be a matter of time before they would be able to make their move against the Firelord. The Enlightened were waiting for a point when the world would be so distracted with Voldemort that they could launch their own liberation without fear of being opposed or defeated, once the Avatar left the Fire Nation as he would easily stop them with his power. The plan was perfect because Hermione had drawn it up, they would lead a revolution to take control of a nation and show the world that she was meant to rule and that her views had to be law.

With the focus on the Earth Kingdom, United Republic and Northern Water Tribe, they would target the Fire Nation. The Fire Nation had always been the targeted nation due to it being nearly isolated from Voldemort's focus on centralized power and therefore it was the easiest of the nations to take over. Also, Hermione knew that her homeland had been under the boot of the tyrannical Firelords for millennia and that now was time for her to claim her birthright and lead her nation into the utopia she had envisioned for it. Soon, her right, correct, just and enlightened views would be the laws they were always meant to be.

Now, at last, it was time. They had heard from one of their contacts in Republic City that in a few hours Voldemort would send his forces into the Elemental Academy and try and personally kill the Avatar, who had somehow appeared in the heart of the Elemental Academy, in order to win the Second Purity War. It was expected to be a final duel between the greatest threat the world has ever known, Dark Lord Voldemort, and the young, inexperienced, Avatar. The inevitable culmination of the Purity Wars that all knew would happen one day, and that day was today.

Hermione knew that the winner would decide the fate of the world for years to come, at least the world outside the Fire Nation. Little did the rest of the world know that while the Avatar was actually doing something right for once in taking out a bigger racist, intolerant bastard than himself, the Fire Nation would also be liberated from a racist, intolerant, bigoted tyrant. They would time their attack for when the Battle of the Elemental Academy began and use it as the cover they needed for their own liberation to succeed.

Hermione knew that the rest of the world in their intolerant and unenlightened minds would not see it as a liberation but as a bloody and illegal coup and instantly condemn her and try to remove her from her rightful seat atop the throne. That was why the Enlightened had contacted their agents and followers in the military so that they could ensure success. Their supporters, all had volunteered to stay at home and defend the Fire Nation rather than join Prince Druzok's force that was freeing the Northern Water Tribe, would free the military while they did so with the government. They needed the military on their side in order to win so both coups had to be simultaneous so as to keep the element of surprise.

Once the military was under Hermione's control, her loyal forces would implement a sea and air blockade the nation from the rest of the world. This was necessary so as to protect themselves and their citizens from facing the tyranny of the other world leaders or Voldemort depending on who won the duel. If they didn't have a blockade, they would be invaded and defeated either by Voldemort or by the Avatar and Hermione was not going to let her new nation be shackled once more right after she had freed it from those shackles.

All of Hermione's plans were for the greater good of the people though. Once the rest of the world saw their enlightened society where equality was a reality and justice actually fair, then the other nations would follow their lead and swear loyalty to Hermione. If not, well Hermione knew that the Enlightened had plans to liberate the other nations as well, just not as concrete or foolproof as they did for her homeland.

The only hiccup in her plan was that Iroh's heir, Crown Prince Druzok, was out of the nation and couldn't be executed for his crimes alongside his grandfather and thus end the line of the Firelords once and for all. Once Hermione was in charge here, their agents overseas would have to kill Druzok as soon as possible, for while he lived, the legacy of the Firelords tyranny would do so as well. Unfortunately, sometimes things weren't as perfect as Hermione's enlightened views and Druzok not being around today was one of those things. Still, the time had finally come to liberate the Fire Nation and end the tyranny her homeland had endured for millennia.

Hermione and her Chosen bodyguard/revolutionaries, 50 of the them from all nations, were ensconced in a guest wing of the palace. Their agents among the servants, slaves in Hermione's mind, within the palace had slowly smuggled them in over the last few hours, basically since they had gotten the news that the Avatar and Voldemort were about to duel at the Elemental Academy, until it was time to liberate the Fire Nation.

First the military would be liberated. As that was happening the police force and the media would be liberated and claimed as well. They needed both internal security and the press on their side so as to make the liberation of an entire nation a smooth and joyous event. Only once they had control of those three branches would Hermione get the signal to lead her forces into the throne room where Iroh was and arrest him for his tyranny and oppression. The plan was for Hermione to quickly try, convict, and execute him for his crimes so that the world knew the price those who oppressed their people would pay for their crimes.

Hermione heard three short blasts on her radio signaling that the communications center for the nation, as well as the Military and Police Command Centers in the Capital, had been taken, meaning that everything but Iroh was in their hands. It was time to liberate her homeland.

"Fellow freedom fighters." Hermione whispered, the eagerness clear in her voice. "My sister and brother warriors in equality and social justice, my fellow Chosen benders, the time has come for us to liberate the Fire Nation from Iroh's tyranny. I want him taken alive preferably so that I may convict and execute him personally, but if he must die in order to win then so be it."

"What of the nonbenders, the servants, the guards and the enslaved Kyoshi Warriors?" One of her deputies asked.

"We are here to set them free them from their slavery to Iroh." Hermione said shaking her head at the sad fate that befell the noble Kyoshi Warriors over a century ago. "Unfortunately many may not see it that way due to years of brainwashing at the hands of the Firelords. It might have reached the point that they think that they aren't in the slavery that we all know they are actually in. We will give them every chance to surrender, be liberated and then deprogramed so that they can learn the truth. However, if they engage us in combat then we will respond with deadly force because we cannot allow ourselves to fail lest the oppression in my homeland continues. Some of those who we will liberate today are traitors to their own and will be blind to the justice we bring on their behalf against their oppressors who they have sided with. It is a shame that those we seek to aid will raise arms against us, but people will die in order to achieve liberty and they will be honored for it. Lastly remember that I am the only Enlightened here so you must protect me above all else. If I fall then there will be no one who possesses the enlightened views to lead this nation into the glorious future of equality and justice that we are seeking to create this day."

"Do not worry, we will lay down our lives for you if we have too." One of the Chosen said with almost religious zeal, a tone that was almost an aphrodisiac to Hermione. "Without you we would not be here, without you and your unparalleled wisdom telling us what to believe we would be nothing. We would not have this chance to free the Fire Nation and restore equality and enlightened leadership had it not been for you. We are all with you until the end, Enlightened Hermione, the most Enlightened person on the planet."

Hermione nodded, smirking at her well deserved praise from her minion. These noble and true warriors for social justice and equality had been chosen because of their unwavering support of and unthinking loyalty for her and her correct views. Taking a deep breath to savor the moment that her revolution began, Hermione pushed the door open from the room they were hiding in and they strode out into the hallway. It was time to take down a tyrant.

As soon as everyone was ready and in the hall, she led her force with purpose through the halls of the palace that was soon to be hers. Hermione was wearing a red tunic and cream pants cut in a military fashion but in such a way as to distinguish it from any of the other nations' armed forces. Her Chosen brethren were wearing camouflage fatigues in the colors of their homelands, or steel gray for the metalbenders. Only the purple clad Chosen who hailed from the United Republic had their bending talents hidden, though Hermione knew all of their skills by heart. Hermione had everything ready for when she liberated the Fire Nation and took the reins of power that was due to her by reason of her birth.

As they walked towards the throne room they came across no servants or Royal Guards within her palace. Their agents among Iroh's staff had been instructed to drug and/or knock out the other servants at dinner and to take out as many Royal Guards as possible so that none would get in their way. As they neared the throne room they came upon two Royal Guards guarding it, a pair that Hermione had expected to still be there as they would have been too hard to take out until now.

With the two Royal Guards at the entrance to the throne room, Hermione knew Iroh had to be inside, likely with a few high ranking nobles and advisors. They would almost certainly be looking over the battle that was currently taking place at the Elemental Academy. If Iroh was there, then he would be with his Kyoshi Warrior personal guard as well, maybe even his granddaughter Izra. Hermione was pleased as this meant more traitors to arrest for their crimes of oppression and tyranny.

"Halt who the fuck are you." One of the guards ordered at their group in a commanding, confident voice.

"You cannot be here." The other said in an equally forceful tone. "Only authorized personal. The Firelord is in a war council and cannot be disturbed."

"Peace my fellow oppressed citizens, we are here to help you." Hermione said in as regal a tone as she could manage, taking a step forward. She was their superior now, they should be bending a knee to her but she would try to talk them down first. "We are here to free you of the tyranny of Iroh and restore the equality to this land."

"Tyranny?" One of the guards asked with a confused look on his face.

"There is no tyranny here." The other said narrowing his eyes at Hermione. "Iroh has been our benevolent leader for the last 31 years and the Fire Nation has never been more equal than it has been since the time of Firelord Zuko the Redeemer. Again, who the fuck are you and what the fuck are you smoking to think such utter bullshit."

"I am Hermione, the Enlightened leader of this nation." Hermione said with a sigh. Clearly these two were conditioned slaves and would have to be put out of their misery, their deaths would be the first of what Hermione expected to be many needless deaths that would occur as she secured her rule over the Fire Nation.

"I am the leader of the Enlightened." Hermione continued as she spoke down to the two idiots in front of her who couldn't see her for what she truly was, their ruler. "I am the Restorer of Equality, the Slayer of Tyranny, and the Harbinger of Enlightenment. I am here to remove a tyrant from power so as to usher in a new age of equality and social justice for all. By the power vested in me, I order you two slaves to step aside or be executed for treason and support of tyranny and oppression."

The guards looked at each other before laughing at Hermione's noble and true words. It was clear that they wouldn't be moving anytime soon. They had just signed their own death warrants.

"Now listen her girly." One said in a condescending tone as he stopped laughing, clearly taking Hermione's age as a sign of inexperience and enlightenment. "If you walk away now we will not report this if not then it is treason…"

The guard didn't get to finish his sentence before Hermione nodded her head and two well trained metalbending Chosen took a step forward and shot out a series of metal spikes from under their sleeves, right at the two Royal Guards. The spikes struck the pair of guards cleanly in their chests and they slumped to the ground, dead before they hit the floor with identical looks of shock on their faces.

Hermione didn't want to kill those who didn't deserve it, she was here to save them from oppression after all, but these two had been in her way and in the way of her destiny. That made them traitors to her and her reign and as such they had to die. Hermione hoped only a few more traitors and oppressors would have to die before the people realized that she was doing all this for them, for the betterment of the people. She knew what was best for them and it was time to make that belief a reality.

"The time has come for us to break the shackles of oppression that the Firelords have held over us for millennia." Hermione bellowed to her fanatically loyal supporters. "It is time to free ourselves from the yoke of tyranny and usher in a new age, one of equality, fairness and true social justice. With me my comrades, the time of the Enlightened is upon us."

With that Hermione sent a bolt of lightning that she had been slowly building, right at the wooden doors. The bolt easily shattered the doors to the throne room inwards and her Chosen freedom fighters charged in as she walked slowly behind them, they were her shield after all. There was a little commotion from the initial attack. Hermione saw a flash of lightning through the dust her attack had created and a few screams, but by the time Hermione had entered and the dust had cleared. leaving behind a situation that was a tense stalemate.

Hermione surveyed the situation before her. One of her faithful Chosen brothers, a waterbender from the Southern Water Tribe based on his dark blue fatigues, was lying motionlessly on the ground, smoke rising from a scorched hole in his chest. A healer Chosen from the Northern Water Tribe was standing over him shaking her head as Hermione looked at her for an answer on her fallen warrior.

No one else of her forces appeared wounded in the initial assault. On the other side of the room, three of the nobles or advisors lay dead or wounded on the ground at the foot of the raised dais that house Hermione's throne. Along side them was the body one of the Kyoshi Warriors who had been killed in the attack, a waste as Hermione was her to save women like her.

The reminder of her enemies were on the far dais, right by her throne. The Fire Assembly set up had been removed due to the war and arrests of at least 13 members of the Assembly, 10 legitimate and 3 illegal arrests, and the throne room restored to the symbol of tyranny it had always been. The Fire Assembly had simply been window dressing on what was in reality an oppressive and tyrannical regime run by the whims of the Firelords. Today, that regime ended, once the last protectors of the Firelord were dealt with.

The Kyoshi warriors surrounded the raised dais, weapons drawn, on which Iroh stood, a look of rage on his face his fingers smoking showing it had been the tyrant himself who had senselessly murdered one of the Chosen. Alongside Iroh was his granddaughter and 5 remaining advisors. 4 were nobles who sat on the Assembly and one of the Generals of the Armed Forces, who was also from a noble family, was there as well, likely to serve as the military representative. Hermione could feel the rage boiling in her as she strode into the this room of oppression and tyranny and stared at the murderous tyrant opposite her.

"How dare you murder a Chosen you tyrannical monster." Hermione bellowed as she strode towards the center of the room. "You are a traitor to equality, an illegitimate and unenlightened leader and you have the audacity to murder one of your betters when we seek to arrest you for your countless crimes."

"Murder?" Iroh yelled back the shock clear in his voice. "What the fuck do you expect me to do when you blow open the doors to my throne room while I am in an important meeting that could determine the fate of the Fire Nation and attack and kill my advisors and guards. What y'all have just done constitutes High Treason, I acted well within the scope of my authority as the Fire Lord, it is you who are the criminals, not the rightful ruler of the Fire Nation. Now whoever the fuck you are, I would suggest surrendering this instant and I may spare you the death sentence that you deserve for your actions."

"I will not yield to the boot of a tyrant." Hermione countered., the anger in her voice rising as she finally got to face one of the most evil men on the the planet. "I am the Enlightened Hermione, the legitimate leader of this nation as I and I alone am enlightened enough to lead it. I am here determine the fate of the Fire Nation by removing the tyrant who rules it with an iron fist and leading it into true equality, social justice, and enlightenment. Your reign of tyranny has come to an end Iroh. Stand down to your superiors and face the justice you and your ancestors so richly deserve."

"So you are the deluded bitch the Avatar told me about." Iroh said narrowing his eyes at her. "I should have expected such a cowardly and underhanded attack to occur while the rest of the world is dealing with Voldemort. You are just as expected based on the reports I have heard of you. Stand down coward, you will not prevail today."

"I am no coward." Hermione yelled back. "I just had to liberate the Fire Nation now because so few are behind me and my enlightened views that we needed a distraction to successfully liberate my homeland. Do not worry though, once I have claimed the power I have long deserve to have been handed to me, and shown the world what true equality and enlightened leadership is, more shall follow me and my truthful views. Surrender and admit your crimes of tyranny, oppression, racism, bigotry, bending purity, and intolerance and I may let you live you out the remainder of your days as my slave, the way you have oppressed others with slavery. A short sentence given your age old man. Stand aside and let the wisdom of my youth rule as it should be."

"I will never surrender to terrorists and traitors like yourself." Iroh retorted. "I have fought evil before, be it Amon, Kuvira, or Voldemort so I know it when I see it Hermione. I shall not fall and see my grandfather's legacy of peace and balance in the Fire Nation ruined by a deluded student who has never truly experienced the real world but who has been brainwashed into believing an incorrect philosophy. Ladies, if you will, it is time you honor your oaths of loyalty and protection to the Firelords and take these traitors down. I want their cunt leader taken alive, the rest do with as you wish."

"Do not listen to your slave master as he cracks his whip of oppression on your naked backs." Hermione yelled at the Kyoshi Warriors. "You are all skilled nonbenders and I am here to set you free, to end your decades of forced servitude to the Firelord. My policies and laws will set you free and restore the equality that the Firelords have denied you for generations."

"You really must be ignorant of other cultures and customs if you think that we are slaves to the Firelord." Captain Suki spat at Hermione from her position next to Iroh. "Then again I wouldn't expect anything less from an intolerant and elitist bitch like yourself. My ancestor and my namesake in particular, the greatest and most famous Kyoshi Warrior since Avatar Kyoshi herself, the war hero Suki, swore an oath of protection and loyalty to the Firelord willingly and without hesitation. It was a sign of international unity after the 100 year war and nonbender rights that the nonbending Kyoshi Warriors, an autonomous state of the Earth Kingdom at the time, had sworn to protect the Firelord who's sister had arrested them during the war and who himself had once burned down our village. We have always been treated as equals, free to leave once our term of service that we volunteer to enter in ends. In our culture we honor our pledges of loyalty and will defend the Firelord until our dying breath if necessary whenever he or she is threatened by traitors and rebels like yourself. No, it is you who is acting like the tyrant not the Firelord."

"You traitorous cunt." Hermione bellowed in rage at how the conditioned slave in front of her dared to call her the one thing Hermione could never be, a tyrant. She was the slayer of tyrants, not one herself. "I am here to free you but you have allowed yourself to be whipped into subservience by years of oppression, Aunt Suki. If death is what you wish for, then so be it. Kill the brainwashed traitors if they oppose you my Chosen brothers and sisters in your noble goal to arrest these tyrants and oppressors in the name of the Enlightened."

"Ladies, our time had come." Suki yelled drawing the katana at her waist and leveling it at Hermione. "Do your sworn duty and protect the Firelord by any means necessary. For the Firelord and for Avatar Kyoshi. Attack."

Instead of the charge Hermione was expecting the girls in front of the stage, they formed an arrowhead drawing their swords with their right hands and turning one of their fans into a small, circular, shield as they advanced methodically, in unison and with perfect discipline at the Chosen in front of them. The Chosen metalbenders took steps forward and tried to distort the weapons of the approaching warriors with their powerful bending but nothing happened.

"They're platinum." One called back to Hermione.

"Then attack you fools." Hermione yelled in frustration at her subordinate, this was why she was their leader for she alone was intelligent enough to lead. "Show them that as Chose you are the superior benders. Attack! Protect me and slay the traitors and their brainwashed slaves in the name of equality, justice and the Enlightened."

There was a yell and the Chosen ran forward as a mob. They had the numbers on girls but lacked the legendary discipline of the Kyoshi Warriors. The fight was quick and bloody. The girls fought with determination and skill that Hermione thought was not possible for nonbenders, but in the end the 10 remaining girls who compromised Iroh's personal bodyguard all fell to her Chosen, though they took 15 of her noble heroes with them before they died.

Hermione knew most of the male, and some of the female, Chosen would want to take the girls as spoils of war but the girls were fighting to the death. Besides, Hermione knew that there would be plenty more traitors who could serve their punishments out as the whores that they were. A fitting punishment for those who's actions had forced oppressed citizens into prostitution and the sex trade. Hermione was not stupid, she knew her faithful followers needed a release and she intended to allow them to have it but only from those who rightfully deserved the punishment and not from any innocents.

As the brief battle was wrapping up in her favor, Hermione who had been holding back to preserve herself, as she and her needed views had to survive, saw an opening to take down Iroh. Concentrating, she jabbed her right two fingers at Iroh and sent out a bolt of lightning at the tyrant from her position across the room. It may have been a cheap shot but Hermione would take it if it meant winning the revolution here and now.

"Firelord get down!" Captain Suki yelled having noticed that Hermione was about to attack and shoving her liege out of the way just as Hermione fired.

The bolt shot across the throne room and struck the captain of the Kyoshi Warriors directly in the heart, right on her metal chest plate. Suki gave an ear piercing scream of pain as she was electrocuted for a moment and the thrown back, through the throne, and clattering off the dais on the other side. Her body disappeared out of sight but Hermione knew that there was no way that the Kyoshi Warrior could have survived the attack.

"No!" Izra yelled and leapt to the back to check on the fallen captain.

Hermione sent some of her Chosen who had been at the back of the mob attacking the Kyoshi Warriors around to the dais. They quickly captured the princess and led her around the dais, her arms cuffed behind her. With their leader down the few remaining warriors fought with a forever but soon fell to Hermione's superior forces.

"She's dead father." Izra cried as she was lead to Hermione's side. "This traitorous cunt killed her."

"Stand down Iroh." Hermione said as she moved to stand behind the bound girl, drew a sharp knife from her belt and held it to Izra's throat, taking a great pleasure in the power she had over the other woman. "Or I will slit her throat and we will see how pure your granddaughter's blood really is."

"Don't surrender." Izra yelled. "Don't give into these terrorists grandfather. My brother and the Avatar are still out there, this bitch won't be in charge for long."

"Well." Hermione yelled pressing the knife in just enough to draw a few drops of blood and shutting the princess up in the process. "What will it by, tyrant."

"Stand down." Iroh said to his remaining advisors with a note of defeat in his voice. Another had died fighting the approaching Chosen after the Kyoshi Warriors had fallen, as had the general, but the rest still lived. "I surrender, just don't harm Izra."

"No!" Izra yelled. "Don't do this grandfather."

"I cannot win my dear." Iroh said in a tired voice showing his age. "We are outnumbered and defenseless, we have lost the battle Izra but we have not lost this new war. This treasonous conspiracy has stretched deeper than any of us knew, expected or prepared for. We were so distracted by Voldemort and while he is a greater threat to the world, this distraction has allowed the Enlightened to fester and grow like the cancer that it is. We have failed her today but I know that in the end the forces of light and balance shall correct this injustice one day."

As Iroh spoke, he and his few remaining advisors we cuffed by the surviving Chosen and led off the dais and towards Hermione. He was glaring as her with unconcealed hate, a glare that Hermione relished. Hermione pointed to an airbender Chosen, one of her key supporters who had been with her when she had faced the Avatar in his fire mastery test all those months ago and had fled with her called Penelope, who nodded and assumed the lotus position to project her spirit. Three of the Enlightened council were here to see their triumph and had to be contacted so that they could witness the culmination of their decades of planning.

"I am the redemption, the restorer, and the redeemer of this nation." Hermione said as Iroh was led to her, removing the knife from Izra's throat and letting one of her Chosen take charge of detaining the former princess. "I am no threat, nor are the Enlightened a cancer, that is a title reserved for the Purists. Rather, we are the saviors of the world in general and the Fire Nation in particular. I am what the Avatar should be, what he dreams of being but cannot defeat his inherent biases to become. I have ended the threat that you have posed to the world, the first step in making sure that the world is at last balanced when it comes to equality. There is no treason here, for it is you who are the traitor to the world for your tyranny, not I."

"What shall we do with this pretty little thang." A gruff voice filled with lust said to Hermione's side. She turned to see Entwhistle, one of her loyal and longest tenured supporters holding Izra by the hair. "Cos I know myself and the men and most of the women would like a crack at this fine, royal, hopefully virgin, pussy."

"I said I would surrender if you didn't hurt her." Iroh shouted at Entwhistle.

"Oh we ain't going to kill her old man." Entwhistle said with a lecherous not in his voice. "Where just going to make a woman out of her, she'll live if that's what you are worried about. She may not be the same again but then again, how many other survivors have you not helped, how many rapists have you let walk all because you didn't believe the woman. To me, this is just poetic justice done right, right boss?"

"No." Hermione said after a moment relishing the fear in the other girl's eyes. "While making her into a whore would be a fitting punishment for the many her family have forced into prostitution over the years, either directly or indirectly, alas we cannot. She is too valuable a prisoner to us to be broken like that. We need her intact as a preventative measure against invasion into my nation from either Voldemort or the unenlightened Avatar. Besides, there will be plenty of other pureblood girls and boys who can learn the world's oldest profession as punishment for their crimes or those of their forefathers. Let her see what happens to tyrants who oppose the Enlightened and our fair, just, wise, and tolerant views. Afterwards, throw her in a cooler for a day and lock her in the dungeon. She can serve the life sentence without parole I hereby sentence her to down in the dungeons."

"You are a disgrace to women everywhere." Izra spat at Hermione, the fear replaced by anger in the former princess's eyes. "The fact that you condone the rape of your fellow women so long as it is by those who support you shows that you are not a true believer in justice and all the other bullshit you claim as your truth."

"Silence cunt." Hermione said walking over and savagely backhanding the girl as she slumped into the Chosen holding her, Entwhistle taking that as a chance to grab a handful of Izra's breasts. "Gag this elitist bitch. I don't want her speaking another word as I complete my victory and finally take my birthright."

As Izra was being gagged, three people walked in, each holding a box in their hands. Hermione recognized them as the other 3 known and free members of the Enlightened Council. In the center was own mentor Master Leach, old and bearded as ever. On his right was the the Air Enlightened, Guru Myrtle, a venerable master who should be the leader of the Air Nation and not a fugitive. On Leach's left was the Earth Enlightened, Professor Cresswell, the youngest of the council, excluding herself and maybe the Water Enlightened though she knew little about the mysterious last member of the Enlightened Council. Cresswell was still in his 30s.

The Water Enlightened was not present, a long standing tradition just in case they had somehow failed. That way at least one would remain free to preserve their views for the betterment of the world. Hermione had only seen the Water Enlightened once, the day of her ascension to the ranks of the Enlightened, and still knew little about the person who was the only Enlightened not publicly known.

Their last member and the Nonbender Enlightened, Warren, was serving a life sentence in the Catacombs Prison Complex under Ba Sing Se on false charges and unfortunately could not be free. Alas Corbyn had been gang raped and murdered in the Boiling Rock by the Purists he had been arrested with the day they all were dropped off at the Boiling Rock for his illegal life sentence and as such he could not be freed as planned. Hermione had a special death sentence planned for those particular Purists, one that would soon be executed once she officially took power.

As the three Enlightened entered, Cresswell raised his hand and a small block rose from the earth at Hermione's feet. The two Chosen holding Iroh roughly pushed the old Firelord to his knees, not caring if they hurt him, and lowered Iroh's neck onto the block. More earth rose to hold the Firelord in place as the Chosen walked back leaving him there. Cresswell then took an axe from his belt, he was the only Enlightened who was skilled with a bladed weapon, and handed it to Hermione.

"It is time my sister." Cresswell said in his cultured, high class Ba Sing Se accent, as Hermione took the axe from her fellow Enlightened. "Take your birthright and usher us into the Age of Enlightenment at last. First the Fire Nation and then the others in time."

"Firelord Iroh, do you have any last words before I pronounce my verdict and sentence for your crimes of tyranny, oppression and crimes against humanity that you have committed while being the illegitimate leader of the Fire Nation." Hermione said as she approached the bound man.

"Only this." Iroh said looking up at Hermione no fear in his voice or eyes, only a steely determination. "I would never execute someone without a fair and unbiased trial the way you are about to do to me. You are not currently, and never will be, the legitimate leader of the Fire Nation. Whatever you do to me, it will not last. The Avatar will turn his attention to the Fire Nation once he has defeated Voldemort and restore my grandson to his rightful place on the throne. When that day comes, you had better be ready for the justice he meets out to you for all your crimes. I am ready to go to the next life with a pure and clean soul, are you?"

"An Enlightened cannot be a criminal when they are a true leader such as myself." Hermione said raising the axe high, she had been trained long and hard in being able to do this specific task. "I, and I alone, make the laws, therefore I cannot break them. Iroh, the last Firelord of the Fire Nation, I Hermione, the true leader of this nation as an Enlightened individual, do hereby find you guilty of tyranny, oppression, discrimination and crimes against equality and humanity. By the power vested in me as an Enlightened I hereby sentence you to … death."

With that Hermione swung the axe down at Iroh's exposed neck in a practiced, well trained motion. Izra screamed into her gag and closed her eyes as the razor sharp axe made contact with Iroh's neck and continued through, removing his head and ending his tyranny once and for all. Iroh's head flopped forward and his blood gushed out of the cleanly severed stump. In time Iroh's head would be displayed on a spike outside the Capital to show the nation the fate that awaited tyrants and their supporters in Hermione's nation. Now, though, it was time to take her rightful place upon the throne.

Hermione carefully laid the axe down on the floor and walked over to the 3 other Enlightened in the room, all of whom were now standing a fair distance away from the spreading pool of tyrannical blood. The surviving Chosen were all grinning in triumph, clearly struggling to keep their joy in check. Meanwhile, Izra had fainted and the 3 surviving advisors just look on in shock and resignation to their fates.

"Hermione, Enlightened and Chosen by the Spirits, you have done the world a service it cannot even begin to repay by finally ending the tyranny of the Firelords." Leach said in a proud, clear voice. "For that I bestow upon you the following medals for your service."

As he spoke Myrtle opened the box she was holding and placed it on a pedestal that Cresswell had raised for the boxes before she took the box from Leach and he continued putting each medal on Hermione's left breast as Leach named them. Myrtle herself was beaming with pride and triumph at Hermione as she affixed the medals that Hermione had rightfully earned.

"The Slayer of Tyrants, The Restore of Equality, The Medal of Justice, and the Freer of the Oppressed." Leach said as each medal was removed and placed on Hermione's uniform, before he ordered. "Now kneel to your fellow members of the Enlightened council."

Hermione did so her chest bursting with pride at her accomplishment and a grin on her face. Leach then opened the box that Cresswell was holding and pulled out a red silk ribbon with an orange flame made of gold attached to it.

"I also hereby award you with the highest honor we can award, the Flame of Enlightenment, awarded for your correct and true views, your loyalty to our cause, your display of leadership, and your heroic actions in ending the tyranny of the Firelords and ushering in a new, glorious, age for this nation." Leach said with pride as Hermione looked at the medal with hunger in her eyes. "Thanks to you, we will became a shining example for the rest of the world in how to run a country and restore equality and justice to all."

Hermione lowered her head as the medal was slowly draped around her neck. Staying bowed she waited for what she knew was coming. Master Leach then opened the box that he had carried in and pulled out a gold, circular crown inlaid with rubies. The crown was carved to look like flames a ring of roaring flames.

The Crown of the Eternal Flame was Hermione's at last. She knew there was still a lot to do before her first speech as the new leader her and the bringer of a new golden age for humanity, an age of enlightenment and equality.

Master Leach gently lowered the Crown of the Eternal Flame down onto Hermione's head, it had been carved specifically for her and her alone. The old master stepped back and spoke to the whole room as the remaining Chosen finally erupted in cheers.

"Rise Empress Hermione the Savior, Fire Empress and the new enlightened leader of the Fire Utopia."

 **Again sorry that this is later than my set schedule, this will likely be the norm for the next few weeks. Next chapter will be the second and final part of Hermione's Tale and look at her reign as Fire Empress and responses to the actions so far in Book 2. This will also end the 4 chapter arc that addresses events alluded to or implied but that didn't involve Team Avatar so as to set up the final arc of the story.** ** ** **That's enough for now** **, keep letting me know what you think of this story in the reviews and any questions asked in reviews or PMs to me will be answered at the start of next week's chapter when it is released, whenever that might be. Until next week.******

 ** ** **Stringdog******


	22. Chapter 22

**Here is the 22nd chapter of Book 2. Again, sorry that this is late, lateness is going to become the norm with this story. This is the second part in the 2 part tale of Hermione's reign, there is a potential spinoff in the works that will delve into Hermione's origins and her time as Fire Empress as this is just a gloss of her reactions to events in Book 2. However, that spinoff is not even on the horizon at the moment. After this chapter we will return to the main story and begin the final arc of Book 2.** ** **Nothing else to add here so sit back and enjoy the latest installment in Avatar: The Tale of Harry. Book 2: Equality.****

 ** ** **Disclaimer: As always I won nothing related to either of these two great works of fiction.******

 **Chapter 22**

 **Hermione's Tale**

 **Part 2: Reign**

Hermione had just finished her first speech as the newly crowned Fire Empress of the Fire Utopia and was beaming to those around her as she returned to the throne room and made her way to her throne at last. While she had been speaking to her new subjects, the throne room had been cleared of bodies and cleaned by the various nobles who had been arrested and sentenced by Hermione prior to her coup, and in absentia, to a lifetime of hard labor for their crimes of tyranny, oppression, elitism. and if they were a bender, Purist beliefs.

They would be the new servants, well technically slaves but slavery didn't apply to convicted criminals, to the Palace, and to the surviving Chosen who had been rewarded with the seized property of the nobles. True some of the mansions would have to be stripped of value to help fund Hermione's empire, and the mansions themselves turned into communal housing for the people who lawfully followed her laws that had just gone into effect without question. However, most would be reserved for the Chosen to show their status as true believers in the Enlightened and the elite bodyguards of the Empress.

Those who served her now as servants would be housed in the Palace dungeon, and when that was filled, the Capital Prison Tower. Now, though, it was time to turn to governance of her new Fire Utopia. At last Hermione had her birthright.

Most of the infrastructure for the new system of equality had been set up during her months on Enlightened Island. They began by renaming the Royal Police, the Enforcers of Enlightenment, and made sure that it was run by loyal supporters of their cause. All applicants to the Enforcers had to pass a truth seer to prove their loyalty to the Empress. They were to be responsible for the internal security of the nation.

The same application standards applied to the recently created Fire Utopia Internal Commission on Ensuring Equality, the FUICEE. This was to be Hermione's loyal but secret police who made sure that her citizens were always being watched and as such were always following the law. Both the Enforcers and the FUICEE had broad arrest and interrogation powers, no need for warrants for anything unless it involved a Chosen, and their leaders answered directly to Hermione. All of this had been put into place for the liberation to work and for the transition of power to go smoothly.

The Enlightened had also secretly created, equipped, and funded the Blades street gang to do the dirty work that needed to be done but couldn't be traced back to Hermione. The Blades were overseen but the FUICEE to make sure that they did what they were told, anything else was overlooked as part of the deal between Hermione and the Blades' leader, a vicious psychopath known only as Razor.

Lastly there was the military. The rank and file, along with the junior officers, would follow their leaders orders without question as any good soldiers would. Those leaders of course were loyal to Hermione and the Enlightened and had been in place to aid with coup by killing or arresting the senior officers loyal to Iroh who were still in the Fire Nation and not either trapped in the Imperial State of Hou Tin or were part of the task force sent to the Northern Water Tribe. Those two distractions had played right into the Enlightened's hands and had allowed them to easily secure the greatest threat to Hermione's glorious and benevolent rule.

All in all, it would take time and a lot of purging of traitors to ensure that they were unopposed but the purges had already begun. Anyone who was remotely disloyal to Hermione or who even entertained the thought of a wrong, and therefore intolerant and bigoted, opinion would be arrested and executed for their crimes. Hermione had to make sure that the leaders of the military, police, both open and secret, the criminals underworld, academia, the press, and industry, were fiercely loyal to her and her alone. Only then could Hermione ensure that her vision for the perfect utopian society was realized.

Any perfect society needed perfect, flawless, and enlightened laws to function successfully. Those laws had been created years ago by the Enlightened Council and then refined and perfected by Hermione over the last few years and made into the new Enlightened Constitution of the Fire Utopia. Now her word was at last law, as it had always meant to be. The new laws were being sent across the whole nation by the media, which now answered directly to Hermione and could only publish what she said allowed them to publish.

Yes, all was now in place and her victory had finally happened. There was a lot to do, but Hermione was sure that within a year she would have control over all opposition and her enlightened laws could at last begin to yield the results that she knew they would yield.

Hermione was at last sitting on the ornate, beautiful, throne that she had known had always been meant for her. In front of her was the 3 members of the Enlightened Council who had returned to the Fire Utopia in the last week to oversee the coup. Now they would be her council as she ruled her nation, along with a select few who were loyal to the core and would do as she said, they were the ones who had been given senior positions in her various institutions so that Hermione never lost the power that she now wielded.

Hermione looked upon her mentors and smiled, these were the few who she considered her intellectual, and therefore general, equals. Everyone else in the world was inferior to them and should follow the select Enlightened for it was the Enlightened that new what was best for everyone. As great and noble as equality was, the masses needed an enlightened leader to guide them into how to think and there were few in the world that were at her level of intellect. It did not bother her as some were born to lead while others to follow and with her leadership and enlightened laws the people never had to worry about anything ever again.

"My fellow Enlightened, we have finally done it." Hermione said with a smile of joy at the older people in front of her throne. "The dream that you had over 20 years ago has finally culminated and the rightful leader of this nation, nee the world, has assumed her role atop the Throne of Enlightenment."

"Yes my Empress." Master Leach said with a bow to his former pupil and lover when Hermione had been his student 6 years ago. "The laws that you have created are already being put into place but there are a few things that still need to be done going forward."

"Master Leach." Hermione said kindly to the man who had been more of a father to her than her real father, and more of a lover than any lover could ever hope to be to her. "You three and any other of the few Enlightened who exist, the Water Enlightened and the falsely imprisoned Warren, do not need to call me Empress for you and you alone are on my level of enlightenment."

"Very well Hermione." Guru Myrtle said in her slightly shrill voice. "What will you do regarding opposition views to your enlightened leadership."

"Simple." Hermione said, it was a topic she had thought of a lot so she knew her answer and as such Royal Decree right away. "There is no need for them and as such they shall henceforth be outlawed. Any books that propagate views that oppose my own shall be confiscated and burned for spreading hate and bigotry. In addition, any who spread views that are against me shall be found guilty of treason and publicly executed so as to deter anyone else from spreading hateful, incorrect, views. I will need you three to aid me in this endeavor."

"We will always be by your side Hermione." Cresswell said in a serious voice. "We are the few Enlightened, only we can lead and teach the right and correct way to think to the uneducated masses."

"Good for teaching is exactly what I need from my own teachers." Hermione said with a grin at the other 3 Enlightened. "I am hereby appointing all three of you to academia and the education of the masses in my views. Make sure that they all believe in me as much as the Chosen and our loyalists do. I and I alone speak the truth."

"How shall this be accomplished?" Myrtle asked.

"Simple, each of you will get an age range to work with." Hermione said before she turned to look at the Fire Enlightened. "Master Leach, as you were my teacher in my youth and you are an expert at molding really young, impressionable, minds to our cause, I am hereby appointing you as head of the youth education system. You will be in charge of making sure all children from ages 3 to 10 know of my wisdom, my enlightened views, and how I should be obeyed without question."

"It will be my absolute pleasure my Empress." Leach said with a very wide, almost lecherous grin. "I always work best with prepubescent children. Don't worry, by the time I am done, the youngest generation will be our devoted followers."

"Excellent, I new I could rely on you." Hermione said with a nod before turning her gaze to the Air Enlightened. "Guru Myrtle, as you are the best Academy level teacher in the world, I am appointing you to take charge of the adolescent education system. You will be in charge of children from ages 11 to 18 and make sure to continue the fine work that Master Leach does, and to get mold any who slip through the cracks."

"I accept this high honor my Empress." Guru Myrtle said formally.

"I knew you would." Hermione said with a smile before turning the Earth Enlightened. "Lastly, Professor Cresswell. I am hereby appointing you head of the advanced education system in the Fire Utopia. As a former Ba Sing Se University professor forced out and censored because of your correct views on the world, you are the perfect choice to take over the higher education of the Fire Utopia. All over 18 year olds are under your charge. You will help identify and train future leaders who are fanatically loyal to us, while also making sure that all of that age range follow me without question. I would have appointed Warren to lead the graduate level education system as she is a former law professor, politician and of Sun Warrior heritage, but alas she is serving a life sentence in Ba Sing Se that she shouldn't be serving and we cannot free her until Justin and our supporters in the ISEK take Ba Sing Se and make it a vassal state under me. Then we can free Warren and give her the credit that she deserves."

"It will be done my Empress." Cresswell said with a nod to her.

"Remember, only my views are needed as they are the only enlightened views in this nation, along with the input of you 3 of course." Hermione said as she got back onto the main topic at hand, the expected opposition to her enlightened reign. "We shall crack down on any and all opposition, no matter how small. Even the tiniest hint of opposition can grow to open rebellion if allowed to fester like the open wound that it is. All opposing views, and we all know what those views are, shall be banned from all forms of speech and long sentences in the labor camps shall be given to violators of this law, or executed if the offense rises to the level of treason. We cannot have these dissenters polluting the minds of the youth and others with their filth, it is your jobs to mold the minds of the youth to our cause, do not forget that."

"We won't don't worry Hermione." Leach said seriously. "By the time we are done, the youth will be in our pockets."

"I know I can trust y'all because y'all are Enlightened." Hermione said with a wide smile at her 3 mentors. "We must make sure that the people are only exposed to my views as that is all they need. The schools shall only teach what I allow them to teach, with your advice of course, so as the young grow up knowing the truth. We shall make sure every city, town and village across the Fire Utopia knows of the enlightened laws and the equality I provide to the people so that they are always reminded of their benevolent Empress and how I freed them from the tyranny of the Firelords."

"Very well and what of any Chosen within Fire Utopia?" Cresswell asked seriously. "What shall we do with the undiscovered Chosen? They will need extra special education as they are of such importance to us."

"I have already directed Colin, one of my most loyal and ardent Chosen supporters, to set up a special, better, school for the Chosen separate from everyone else." Hermione said in response to Cresswell's question. "It will show the population that the Chosen are above them but below me, where they belong in society. It shall also be mandatory for all Chosen and the FUICEE shall be tasked with finding any young, impressionable, Chosen who do not yet know of the importance of their gift, and bring them to the Empress Hermione the Savior Academy for the Education of the Chosen right here in the Capital. They shall be taught from as soon as possible of what it means to be the Chosen and the responsibilities and expectations of them, as well as the reward they are entitled to if they show me the loyalty I deserve from my Chosen."

"Even if they are born of nobles?" Leach asked.

"Yes for we cannot hold the fact that their parents were part of Iroh's tyranny against them." Hermione said looking at her former master seriously. "They did not participate in the oppression of their fellow citizens that their parents did. This will be their redemption and our way of teaching them how to not be like their parents. Besides, one of the greatest Chosen ever, Toph, was noble born and yet she embodied all that we stand for. As a matter of fact I shall turn a whole wing of the Palace into a hall honoring all the greatest Chosen throughout history. Toph, Katara, the Enlightened Council, will be among the statues erected there for their services to the world and the betterment of the Chosen. I shall also include Warren due to her sacrifice for our cause despite her being a nonbender, and of course I will be including a whole exhibit just to myself because I am the greatest Chosen of all time."

"A great idea." Myrtle said with a nod of approval. "What of the Chosen who fell today in the liberation of the Fire Utopia."

"They too shall be honored in the Hall of Chosen." Hermione said. "For we can never repay them the sacrifices the 18 fallen Chosen made today so that countless more were freed from tyranny and slavery at the hands of the Firelords and his elitist cronies. I will also commission the best sculptors in the city to make a statue of each and place them around the Crucible of Enlightenment, for free of course as these Chosen laid down their lives today so that we might all live in a better tomorrow. Also, the Crucible of Enlightenment shall be the new name for the capital of the Fire Utopia."

"Very well Hermione." Leach said with a respectful nod to the student that had long since surpassed him. "But there is still much to do to secure your power and it will take time, and likely blood, to bring the whole nation to bear under your enlightened and benevolent leadership."

"I know Master Leach." Hermione said a serious look coming to her face. "We have much to do over the coming days, weeks, months, and even years, so let's get to work."

 _5 years later – Present day, shortly after the raid on the Dragon Sanctuary_

Hermione sat on her throne behind a wall of fire and smiled to herself. It had been a little over 5 years since she had liberated the Fire Nation from the shackles of tyranny, renamed the nation the Fire Utopia, and been proclaimed the Fire Empress with the power to make any law she saw fit to ensure that equality was maintained. Finally, after years of struggle against brainwashed fools who didn't understand that all Hermione was doing was making their lives better, everything was on track as she had wanted it to be. The initial growing pains of an uneducated and oppressed populace getting used to a new leader, new concepts of equality, and new enlightened laws were finally over.

Hermione remembered that the first year had been the hardest for her and her newly free people. The other nations had condemned her as a murdered and a dictator despite the fact that she was clearly neither, she had merely removed a murderer and a dictator from power and had taken the throne herself, there was nothing illegal in her book about that and therefore what she had done was perfectly legal.

They had tried to run her blockade before realizing they couldn't do so and not face heavy casualties right after the end of the Second Purity War. They had tried to send spies in as sympathizers but her Chosen truth seers had seen through the imposters and they had been executed on live VV for espionage and to show the unenlightened nations what happened to those who tried to spy on and subvert her enlightened rule.

After that, the other nations left her alone, likely because they realized she was entirely right in all her views and the fact that they still had to clean up the mess that Voldemort had created. The Avatar had not even tried to stop her, that further proved that she was right and the intolerant, racist, bigot that Raava had been reincarnated in knew that she was right. Alas it took time for her own citizens to learn the new system as well. They had been beaten down by the Firelord, it had taken a lot to make them unlearn that internalized oppression and that the old, oppressive, laws were no longer valid, but at last the people were starting to get the new system.

Many didn't understand that while the people had free speech, that speech was limited to anything that was in line with Hermione's ideals and views. Anything contrary to it was deemed hate speech, not free speech, and therefore illegal with tough punishments for breaking the law. There had been a lot of dissenting speech against Hermione and her enlightened views that had to be cracked down on and the leaders either sentenced to a lifetime in hard labor doing jobs that they had forced others to do for them in the past or being executed if their speech reached her arbitrary level for treason.

There had been a few attempted rebellions but after Hermione had had many of the rebel leaders, she couldn't remember the exact number of the top of her head, publicly executed by being burned alive in the center of the Crucible of Enlightenment, most of the remaining rebels who were still at large had been put off open rebellion against her enlightened rule. Hermione had not wanted to make such a public and grisly execution, but the rebels had brought it upon themselves for daring to oppose her regime and betraying her and all that she had done for the Fire Utopia.

They had forced her to execute them publicly as a way to show any would be rebels what would happen to them if they weren't sent to a prison labor camp for the rest of their lives. Hermione had to admit, burning dozens of people alive in the public squat had worked as an effective deterrent against future potential rebels. Now all she had to do was find and publicly execute the leaders of the Green Brigade and the Griffins, the elusive Leprechaun and Wood respectfully, and she would be done with those who wished to restore the tyranny of the Firelords to her enlightened and equal nation.

Hermione wasn't concerned with the high death toll that was currently occurring in her nation either. To her, in a growing and industrious nation of equals, death was an inevitable consequence to those who failed to embrace her new benevolent and enlightened laws. It actually helped her as it culled the worst from society keeping only those loyal to her alive and thus in a generation or two removing any opposition to her rule.

Hermione's new laws were there for the people, they were there to help and guide the unenlightened masses going forward. Many had embraced her laws, as they should, and followed her as they were supposed to do. Those who didn't paid the penalties for their treachery to their Empress, it was as simple as that.

Of all of Hermione's new laws, the people had taken to the jobs law the best. Now that all able bodied citizens had to work, and all received and equal pay regardless of gender, job position, hours worked, tenure, overtime, etc. for their work. So what if some worked harder than others, or did more important tasks, or worked longer hours, the important thing was that they were paid equally across the genders and that they worked.

Everyone had to learn a trade from an early age, in addition to their education in the values and laws that Hermione saw fit to expose them too, so that everyone could contribute to the Fire Utopia once they were done with school. Once they had that vocation, they were guaranteed work in it when they graduated. Those who showed little skill either went into the military or into the manual labor force as those were the two areas that always needed the most warm, dumb, bodies. On the flip side, those of intelligence, initiative, loyalty and drive where fast tracked to leadership courses so that Hermione had a loyal supporting cast in the younger generations.

In terms of education, history teachings had been wiped of anything that Hermione saw as intolerant, bigoted or racist and all statues to those repressive times and anything named after one of those oppressive leaders had been changed to ensure that history was purged of evil. Hermione's greatest accomplishment in this regard had been destroying the statue of Ozai in Fire Fountain City and replacing it with a similarly bare chested one of herself to inspire the people in their Empress and nation. It was also designed to show that women in power were not afraid to show off their nipples and therefore stop the sexualization of female nipples them going forward.

Yes, at last all was going well for Hermione. It had taken a full year of struggling against those who wished to return to the oppression of the Firelords, and 4 more years of hard work reeducating her people in her right ways to get to this point. After 5 years in power, 5 Age of Enlightenment, or AoE, as Hermione had decided to reset the year system to correspond with her coronation as the enlightened Fire Empress and formation of the Fire Utopia, the first truly equal and enlightened nation in the world, everything was finally going according to plan.

Hermione knew that if Aang or Korra had been alive today, they would have smiled upon her and approve of all that she had created in the Fire Utopia, unlike the current Avatar. Hermione also knew that all the past Avatars would have followed her orders, views and laws without question or challenge so as to accomplish what Hermione had managed in the Fire Utopia, not the way that cocksucker Harry had done by condemning her actions.

Hermione's enlightened musings on her nation and how she was vastly superior to the Avatar were interrupted when the doors burst open and three Chosen walked in. All had followed her faithfully during her days at the Academy, they had been some of her first recruits to the Chosen, but they had been left behind when she had been forced to flee after being wrongfully expelled to serve her and the Enlightened as spies. Two had returned after fleeing Voldemort's brutal regime, the last had come back after the Second Purity War to take command of the Chosen as he was a faithful servant to Hermione to the end.

Speaking of the Enlightened, Hermione had sent her advisors, her fellow Enlightened, away after the end of the rebellions and the establishment of a proper educational system. About a year ago it had became clear that she had total control of the nation and now she ruled without the need of her advisors. She did not need them anyway as she was an Enlightened and knew all that was true and just in the world.

Also Hermione was convinced that the 3 other Enlightened were plotting against her and planned to kill her so that they could take charge so she preempted them by exiling them, a kindness she had not extended others during her many purges but they were Enlightened so they had extra special privileges. This way they could live out their days on the Enlightened Island and preserve their beliefs should the unthinkable happen and Hermione be killed or removed from power, and to serve as a backup should the nation need emergency Enlightened leadership.

The three Chosen who had entered were all dressed in red camouflage fatigues denoting them as firebenders with a firebending Raava on their left breasts. The man in the middle was Dean and he was flanked by two blond brothers, Colin and Dennis. Dean was her age while Colin was a year younger and Dennis 3 years her junior. Dean had been her first recruit during their first year at the Academy and had stayed at her behest to spy on the Academy for the Enlightened before returning following the Avatar's victory over Voldemort to take charge of the Chosen. Colin had been the firebender who had deliberately lost to Hermione to ensure that Hermione was granted master status and had been under her wing since he had met her at the Academy. Colin's younger brother Dennis had joined them because of Colin when he joined the Academy.

After her days at the Academy, Hermione had preferred dealing with those around her own age as they were still idealistic and knew what was needed to change the world for the better rather than being beaten down by world experience at the hands of the tyrants and oppressors of the world. She could control those who were her own age much better than the older Chosen who had pledged loyalty to the Enlightened in general and not Hermione in particular. A purge of the Chosen was on the horizon but they were still loyal enough to Hermione to put it off for the moment. Soon she would be able to replace the old guard with younger Chosen who were loyal to Hermione first and the Enlightened second.

Of course there were a few who retained their loyal beliefs to the Enlightened, even after growing up but hadn't sided with the Enlightened until Hermione had taken power. These were people like former assemblymen Sanders who had served as one of her few trusted confidants who was not a Chose or Enlightened, that was until Sanders, his protege Cortez, Hirono, and several other nonbender allies were executed in a purge orchestrated by the Directer of the FUICEE last year at Hermione's behest. Then there was the late Corbyn who had received a statue in his hometown to honor his service and willingness to go to prison for his beliefs. Yes, while the Enlightened Council were older than her, Hermione knew that it was with her generation that the true vision lay and that true vision lay specifically with her.

"My Chosen brothers, what brings you into my throne room to interrupt your Empress as she ponders the state of the Fire Utopia and the world and what she can do in her infinite and enlightened wisdom to correct all the injustices that plague my world." Hermione said in greeting. Only the Chosen, Enlightened and the heads of her institutions like the Director of the FUICEE, Commissioner of the Enforcers and Editor of _The_ _Enlightened News_ could come into her throne room unannounced. "Though I have rid the Fire Utopia of any injustice and my laws ushered in this unparalleled in the annals of history age of prosperity and equality, there are still many inequalities and injustices in the other nations that we must address when we absorb them into the Fire Utopia."

"My benevolent and enlightened Empress, I unfortunately am the bearer of bad news." Dean said as he and the brothers took a knee and lowered their heads as a sign of respect to their Empress.

"Rise and speak." Hermione ordered pleased at the sign of acknowledgment that she was their ruler and their superior but ready to get furious at them for bringing her bad news when all was supposed to be good in her nation. "You are my fellow Chosen, and do not need to kneel while addressing me. You only need to kneel as a sign of respect and submission to me upon entering my enlightened presence, which you have done. Now what is so troubling that you must come and interrupt my enlightened thoughts without announcement? After 5 years of trouble and hard work, those who would see us returned to tyranny have been defeated and the Fire Utopia is finally becoming the glorious nation that it is under my benevolent rule. Surely nothing is of the magnitude to threaten my well established, enlightened, perfect, reign."

"Unfortunately, Your Majesty, the news is as bad as you fear." Dean said after he had stood and looked at Hermione, she was pleased to see a slight tremor of fear run through her highest ranking Chosen. "I have just been informed that the Dragon Sanctuary, Breeding and Conservation center has been attacked by an as of yet unknown terrorist group."

"What!" Hermione bellowed the flames that surrounded her throne the way they had for Azulon and Ozai increased with her rage before settling down. "Those dragons are of the utmost importance to me, they are critical to my long term plans. It is imperative that we restore them from the brink of extinction that the Firelords brought them too with their hunting."

There was more to the dragons that not even her highest ranking Chosen knew though. The dragons were supposed to be trained in combat as another tool for Hermione to ensure her power in the Fire Utopia went unchecked, and to provide a bonus to her air force should she ever need to invade one of the unenlightened nations, or support a coup from one of her subordinate groups in those nations. Any opposition or enemy would face the wrath of her Dragon Rider Corps and be crushed as all who opposed her deserved to be. It was imperative that the dragons not fall into the hands of terrorists.

She cursed herself for allowing Hagrid, Charlie, and the other old school trainers to stay after she had had Silvanus executed and not locking them up for their treason in refusing to help her achieve her goals. Alas she had needed the disloyal fuckers as they were the best at their job and if there was one job where she couldn't get rid of the highly trained experts it was the dragon trainers as the dragons had a habit of eating those who they deemed unworthy. It was why she had had such a hard time finding trainers loyal to her to work with them, those who were loyal to her kept getting eaten.

"We know Empress but alas it would appear that a group of traitors, nonbenders by the looks of it with the exception of at least one well trained firebender, along with the 7 remaining trainers loyal to Iroh have taken the dragons and fled to parts unknown." Dean said with a little fear in his voice as Hermione had been known to execute bearers of bad news on the spot in the past. "No one has yet claimed responsibility for the actions taken at the Dragon Sanctuary."

"And what of the Sun Warriors and the preservation and maintenance of their culture?" Hermione asked narrowing her eyes at the Chosen in front of her. "Their reservation was located near the Dragon Sanctuary."

"Based on reports, the military forces assigned to protect them have been killed in what appears to be a surprise attack from behind and the Sun Warriors have disappeared." Colin said quickly, his body shaking out of fear of what Hermione might do to him. "Their Chief left a note saying that they were the ones responsible for the attack on your soldiers and that they had done so because of you forcing them to make cultural changes that were sacrilegious to their indigenous culture. These include forcing a female chief upon them, which is against one of their core tenants. As a matter of fact, the Chief formally abdicated in her note and said that her elder brother, who was the rightful Chief after you had had their father executed for misogyny and forced them to accept her as Chief, is once again the Chief of the Sun Warriors. She also said that they were fed up of being your prisoners on their land and being, in their words not mine, exotic cultural toys. They joined the trainers in their desertion and formed a rebel group against your enlightened rule."

"Those ungrateful, fucking, cocksuckers." Hermione spat with venom in her words at the betrayal of a group she had bent over backwards to protect from losing their culture and identity. "I gave them everything. I preserved their culture, I executed a sexist pig for his crimes against equality and against women, and I ensured that their culture and religion evolved, while also being preserve, by making them accept their first female Chief and this is how they repay their kind benevolent Empress. I hereby decree that the Sun Warriors are officially a terrorist group, as are the 7 trainers who deserted their posts and murdered the soldiers and the loyal trainers. They are all now guilty of treason and terrorism and they will be brought to the justice the so richly deserve. The leaders are hereby sentenced to death by burning alive and any rank and file members are sentenced to life in prison with a hard labor requirement."

"Well the Chief did say that their society was an equal one before you forced the female chief on them and that it was their religion to be lead by a male chief as the sun is a male spirit." Dennis piped up before quailing at the look Hermione gave him. "Of course, all of your decisions are correct and we will make sure your judgement on these traitors and terrorists are made known to the public."

"I do not give a fuck about a religion that promotes and condones what I, and therefore the world, has determined to be sexism." Hermione said to the trembling Chosen in front of her as he began to nod fervently, in complete agreement with her words. "I saw an injustice that was being allowed in their society and culture, and in my enlightened wisdom and my ability and power as Fire Empress, I corrected that injustice even if they were ungrateful at the forced change I made on their behalf. Often change must be forced upon people because they are too blind to do it themselves, all I do is for the betterment of my people. Am I clear?" Dennis continued to nod fervently at Hermione's words.

"Good." Hermione said with a smile at Dennis before turning back to Dean who took a half step back in fear of his Empress's current wrath. "Now Dean, how many died in these horrific and senseless acts of terrorism against the Fire Utopia and against equality? We must honor those who were murdered in defending my nation from those who seek to destroy it."

"19 at the Dragon Sanctuary, 11 soldiers, including the camp's commander, and 8 trainers, though one was one of the ones loyal to Iroh." Dean said with a somber, serious tone. "A further 67 of the 100 soldiers stationed in the cordon to protect the Sun Warriors's land, culture and identity were slaughtered by the Sun Warriors."

"Monsters, they're all fucking monsters." Hermione spat. "They are nothing short of absolute fucking monsters to kill innocent soldiers and trainers who are doing nothing wrong. They are in fact following my enlightened laws the way they are supposed to and doing so without question. Any word on the terrorists who launched this heinous atrocity at the Sanctuary? There has to be outside actors involved as we haven't had a problem there before. Only a catalyst from someone from the outside could rally Hagrid, Charlie and the other disloyal trainers, and the Sun Warriors, to rise up and betray their benevolent and enlightened Empress."

"All we got from the handful of survivors was that there were 3 outside terrorists who just showed up in the middle of the trainers camp one day." Dean said quickly, clearly reciting a memorized report that he had been given. "Of them, at least one could produce lightning as that was how the commander died according to the survivors. The survivors heard the three terrorists call themselves the Liberation from Tyrants Movement, the LFTM for short, and named you as the tyrant that was to be liberated from."

"How dare they have the fucking audacity to call their benevolent and enlightened Empress a tyrant." Hermione bellowed once again causing the flames to increase momentarily due to her rage. Only their status as high ranking Chosen had saved the three firebenders in front of her from being summarily executed for pissing off the Empress. "I shall crush them beneath my boot like the fucking insects that they are. I will show them what happens to those who fuck with Fire Empress Hermione the Savior."

"What are your orders your majesty?" Colin asked bowing his head in respect to her and her anger.

"Put out a press statement via _The Enlightened New_ that condemns the LFTM, or whatever the fuck they are calling themselves. as terrorists." Hermione said as she calmed herself down so that she could issue the enlightened orders she needed to issue that would deal with this new situation. "Make sure that the press statement has orders that should the public encounter them, they should report them to the authorities at once. Any aid will be seen as terrorism and punished as such. As for the 7 surviving trainers, which include those wankers Hagrid and Charlie I presume."

The three Chosen nodded at this. Clearly they were memorizing her orders so that they could make sure that the people knew the punishment for aiding this latest terrorist group and what was to become of the known traitors.

"Have them branded as traitors and terrorists who stole the Empress's dragons." Hermione continued. "Add the Sun Warriors to the list of known rebel and terrorist groups as well though I want them alive as I still wish to preserve the aspects of their culture that I like. Well? Don't just fucking stand there! Your Empress has given you your orders, which are now officially laws, now get too it!"

The three Chosen bowed low to her before turning and running out of the room as fast as they could, Hermione's last orders ringing in their ears. Hermione leaned back in her throne and thought about the sudden bad news that had been delivered to her so soon after the celebrations of her 5th year of enlightened rule. This was not good and Hermione had a bad feeling that there was something more at foot in her utopia than just a rebel group. She didn't know what to expect, but Hermione knew that she would have to prepare for the worst after such a brazen attack on her authority.

All Hermione could do at the moment though was to hope that the LFTM was just another group of terrorist hell-bent on ending her enlightened rule and restoring tyranny to her Fire Utopia. If that was the case, the the situation should be contained by her superior forces and thus would not escalate further. Smiling, Hermione rose from her throne to return to her private chambers to meditate on these new developments. Hopefully, this was a one time thing and Hermione would soon have the terrorists' heads on platters in front of her.

* * *

For the first time her her life, Hermione was wrong. A week after learning of the heinous and unprovoked attack on the Dragon Sanctuary, Hermione once again found her quiet reflections while sitting on her throne and deciding what she could do to continue to improve her nation and the world with her enlightened views. Again, the disruption was caused by Dean, alone this time, walking in. Once again the dark skinned Chosen had a look of bad news on his face.

"Your Majesty, my eternal and enlightened Fire Empress Hermione the Savior, I once again regret that I must be the bearer of bad news to your enlightened throne." Dean said as he went to one knee at the base of the dais in front of the flames, bowing his head low in supplication to his Empress. "Jang Hui has been attacked by the terrorist group known as the LFTM. The floating city has been taken by the LFTM, all the soldiers have been murdered and the ore factory there has been destroyed."

"What!" Hermione bellowed at the news, the flames rising with her anger and causing Dean to roll backwards to avoid getting burnt but he stayed on one knee when he finished his roll.

That factory was critical to the metal industry and therefore it was critical to the military stockpiling program for when the other unenlightened nations declared war on her. Hermione knew that soon she would have to defend herself from the unenlightened nations with a preemptive strike on them but only when her military exceeded that of Ozai's by a magnitude of 10.

"Are you sure?" Hermione asked when Dean hadn't responded to her exclamation, her rage not subsisting in the least.

"I am." Dean said, still not rising from the marble floor. "We have heard from one of the few survivors of the attack on Jang Hui that 3 individuals, two masked and one in a spirit disguise so we all we know is that one of them is female, attacked the floating city of Jang Hui and killed most of the soldiers stationed there to make sure that the city's residents are in compliance with your laws. As such, we have no descriptions of them other than that the one who was in a spirit disguise is a woman. After the loss of Jang Hui, one of the terrorists, a waterbender by all accounts, destroyed the factory with what appears to have been a massive wave. We have yet to get near as the LFTM is still believed to be in the area and it is remote enough to have only one military base, the factory itself. We do know that the LFTM has been making false radio broadcasts declaring that you are the worst tyrant in history, Fire Utopia or elsewhere. You are who they wish to liberate the nation from, despite the fact that you are our benevolent Empress who liberated us from a tyrant and not the other way around."

"Those lying, manipulative monsters." Hermione roared, once more the fire around her exploding upwards. "How dare they kill innocent soldiers who are doing their job in forcing a city to comply with my enlightened and equal laws or are protecting a valuable factory that is crucial to the stability of my nation. That factory is the core of the metalwork in the Fire Utopia. Jang Hui has always been a thorn in my side. Ever since I reopened the factory because of its importance to my nation, they have been too vocal against my enlightened policies and laws even after the traitors that lead the city were executed in front of them. Now they have gone to far. I hereby declare the entire city traitors and supporters of terrorism. Send the full forces in the vicinity to Jang Hui and arrest the whole population. I want all adults there wiped out and all kids sent to our most severe reeducation schools so that they can be taught proper obedience to their Empress."

"My liege there is a slight problem with that order." Dean said hesitantly, the fear evident in his voice and sending a thrill of pleasure through Hermione's spine at the sound of a man's fear of her unlimited power. "The LFTM has been using the military communication gear there to inform local area of their actions. The radio reaches a large portion of that region and they have been broadcasting that the citizens of Jang Hui are innocent, that they and they alone are responsible for what has happens. They say that any actions taken against the inhabitants of Jang Hui would constitute tyranny, oppression and crimes against humanity on your part. It has been broadcast on military hardware and as such we can't block it. They are spreading lies about you, Empress, but those lies are making sure that you cannot react justly against Jang Hui without being seen as something that you are not."

"Fucking assholes." Hermione swore, clearly the LFTM were smarter than she had initially given them credit as they had out maneuvered her here and forced her to not convict and execute the traitors of Jang Hui. "How dare they! Very well, I cannot act against the traitors there until the LFTM has been crushed like the roaches that they are. Have the surviving soldier arrested for dereliction of duty and sentenced to 5 years hard labor, a light punishment but I can't sentence them to longer at the moment, I will increase their sentences once this has blown over. How many brave soldiers ensuring equality in my Fire Utopia were murdered by the terrorists during their criminal actions in and around Jang Hui?"

"As always your will be done." Dean said reverently. "And to answer your question; 49, including the general in charge, one of your most loyal and ardent supporters, were slaughtered by the monsters that make up the LFTM. What are your enlightened orders, my Empress?"

"Here is what I am ordering you, and those who enforce my enlightened laws, to do." Hermione said as she finally managed to regain control of her rage at the terrorists and had thought on the next course of action while the flames around her returned to normal. "From this point onwards, any citizen who even dares to breath a word that in any way shape or form, ad that goes against my official stance against the LFTM, will be considered a terrorist sympathizer and a traitor to the Fire Utopia and punished by no less than a lifetime of hard labor and no less than death. Same for any citizen who actively or passively supports them. We shall leave the traitors at Jang Hui alone until the heat of this dies down, then I shall have the FUICEE go in and detain all of them. I will order an entire platoon to that area to officially protect and investigate but once this dies down they will aid the FUICEE in dealing with the traitors of Jang Hui. Next, have the media report that the LFTM has attacked again and have committed another heinous act of terror against me and the Fire Utopia in their quest to end the equality and enlightenment I have provided for the people here and restore the tyranny and oppression of the past. Let the people know that these monsters kill many innocent civilians in their acts of terror against Jang Hui and that they have done so to undermine and destabilize my legitimate rule."

"But Your Majesty, that is not the truth." Dean said after a long pause, the fear clear in his voice as he challenged his Empress's wishes. "We cannot lie to the people."

"I speak the truth and the truth is what I say it is." Hermione said her rage returning, causing the flames to extend upwards once more, and almost lashing out at Dean for his insubordinate statement, something that would have been a death sentence for a lesser subordinate. "The people must know of the threat that these monsters pose to them and if we must lie to the public to achieve our goals then so be it. Remember, the ends always justify the means when those ends are ensuring equality for all under my enlightened rule. Now get to work Dean."

Dean nodded and then very rose, clearly fearing that he might be on the receiving end of a bolt of lightning, to leave and implement Hermione's enlightened orders. Hopefully she could get her forces to Jang Hui in time to capture these monsters who dared to threaten her enlightened reign. Hermione needed them caught and executed as soon as fucking possible, after her skilled interrogators had finished extracting all the information they had from them with them of course. The situation couldn't get worse lest she begin to lose control of the people she worked so hard to lead in the right direction.

Hermione needed to get this situation under control and soon, she could not let it escalate. With that in mind, Hermione left the throne room to go and work off her rage in the gym, soon she would have the LFTM in custody and she would be able to return to ruling without any opposition whatsoever.

* * *

The next month was one of utter chaos for Hermione as she begun to feel her iron grip on power, and therefore all that she had worked so hard to achieve, slipping away from her. More people had been arrested that month on terrorism, treason, and aiding a rebellion charges than in the last 2 years. Many of those arrested had either been executed or died during interrogation for information on other rebels. It had been the bloodiest month for over 4 years but they were traitors, terrorists and rebels so Hermione wasn't going to lose sleep over their deaths. However, the more she cracked down on the supporters of the LFTM and tried to preserve her own teachings on equality, tolerance and justice, the more people seemed to want to rebel against her.

Hermione couldn't understand why the people weren't responsive to her enlightened laws. She had given the people everything that they could have wanted. The government was there for them when they need it, she had restored equality and she had silenced all hate in her nation. Yet still a rogue group of terrorists were undermining all the hard work she had done. It had all culminated in the events a month after the treason of Jang Hui and the destruction of her biggest, and most important, ore factory.

Once more Hermione was on her throne, this time pondering her next step in silencing the hate that the opposition spread about her and all the bigotry, racism and intolerance that they clearly believed in. 5 years ago, Hermione had ended all of those evils in her nation. She had been the one who had destroyed elitism and still it prevailed in her perfect society in the statements and actions of the LFTM. Hermione would find, capture and destroy them by any means necessary. She would make such an example out of them that no one would ever dare to raise arms against her again.

As Hermione pondered her next course of action against the LFTM, the door to her throne room once again opened without announcement. This time Dean was accompanied by the heads of the FUICEE and the Enforcers of Enlightenment. Neither of them were Enlightened or Chosen but both were loyal fully to her and her enlightened views, having proven themselves to numerous truth seers, and they were willing to do whatever it took to ensure that her enlightened laws were enforced and followed so that equality was preserved.

"What now." Hermione demanded trying to keep her rising anger at bay. If the three leaders of her three most important organs of equality were present then something bad must have happened, but Hermione could hope that this was not bad new. "Please tell me you have good news and the LFTM are at least dead ,or better yet, under arrest and you have them here awaiting my fair and impartial judgement. After they have been thoroughly interrogated by my inquisitors that is."

Director Arabella, the Director of the FUICEE was a woman and while Hermione was all for forcing diversity in positions of power regardless of skill, this was a position that required unquestioning loyalty to her above all else. The woman who ran the FUICEE was first and foremost loyal to Hermione, and she was a ruthless bitch who stopped at nothing to ensure that Hermione's enlightened laws were followed. Arabella, who preferred to be known as The Director, exchanged worried looks with Dean and the male Commissioner of the Enforcers of Enlightenment before they all knelt before their Empress in supplication.

"My Empress, the fair, noble, just, and righteous Hermione the Savior, alas I once more must be the bearer of bad news." Dean said again not rising. "For the third time in the last few weeks the LFTM have struck again. As with Jang Hui, this act of terrorism was bigger than their last one."

"What have they done?" Hermione asked very slowly, knowing her anger was about to reach dangerous levels.

"They have sparked a riot in Fire Fountain City." Dean said, cringing from his kneeling position as he did. "We have just learned that the city has fallen, all your supplies stockpiled in the warehouses there have been destroyed and most of the military that was stationed there have deserted and joined the traitors in the city. This all happened so quickly that before we could react, the rioters took control of the whole island and have destroyed all access to it by land. We currently lack the air force to go in and free the city of the terrorists that have taken control of it as all available airships are needed on the air blockade."

"WHAT!" Hermione bellowed again, this time the flames that burned in front of her throne rising so high that they almost scorched the ceiling. "Those fuckers have gone too far this time! When it was just a renegade group of terrorists wishing to restore the tyranny of the Firelords we could handle them with, but now they have gotten the citizens of an entire city behind them, this is too far. I want the rioters condemned as terrorists and the brave citizens who are still alive there to know that their enlightened Empress will do whatever she can to free them from their oppression. I hereby convict all rioters and military deserters of treason, terrorism and sedition against the Empress and sentence them all to death by public bonfire. I will make an example out of Fire Fountain City, one that the rest of the nation will never forget. They will know what happens to those who dare to betray my and restore tyranny, oppression, and inequality to my lands. The traitors have brought this upon themselves with their actions and I will not stand for it. This is the last straw. I will eradicate the Fire Utopia from the scourge that the LFTM has become, once and for all."

"My Empress, there is more." The Director of the FUICEE said with a note of hesitation after Hermione's passionate, enlightened speech. "Thanks to a few brave agents and some of our informants in Fire Fountain City, all of whom have made it out alive, we uncovered evidence of a highly rare and unique subbending art. It appears to have been used in the murder of Chosen Entwhistle and then in the destruction of the entire storage facilities there. Only that particular style of bending could have caused such destruction."

"A Chosen was murdered?" Hermione asked, the rage inside her not dying down at all and as such the flames around her remained high. "He must have been outnumbered and brought down by countless rioters, taking many with him. Entwhistle was a great fighter and proof that the Chosen are the best."

"According to the FUICEE reports, was killed without taking any with him." Dean said nervously. "It was a one on one duel in an alleyway that he lost."

"How?" Hermione asked with venom in her voice. A Chosen was supposed to be the best of the best, they didn't fall to just one measly opponent.

"Our agents there, those who managed to escape after the riots, reported finding his body decapitated and severely burned in places." The Director said after a pause. "The evidence was overwhelming."

"That sounds like he was wounded by a firebender and then cruelly executed by one of the traitors there." Hermione said angrily. So far, she hadn't heard anything that wasn't a surprise to her. "There is nothing you have said to me that indicates a unique or rare bending talent."

"Well the burns weren't consistent with firebending." The Commissioner of the Enforcers of Enlightenment said. He was quivering in fear and it made the gold epaulets he wore shake but he continued with his report. "The burns were consistent with those inflicted by lava."

"In addition, the storage facilities were destroyed by a massive lava field." The FUICEE Director said hurriedly. "A display of lavabending that has not been seen since Ghazan destroyed the Northern Air Temple 72 years ago and one that would require a shit ton of power to create."

"Lavabending?" Hermione said a note of astonishment in her voice that momentarily abated her anger and returned the flames before her throne to normal. "Are you sure?"

"Positive." The Director said before she gulped in fear of her Empress and continued her report. "And given that our description of the individual in question was of an early 20s man with jet black hair cut in a Mohawk like style and startling green eyes, there is only one conclusion that we can come up with based on the evidence. My Empress, the Avatar has breached the blockade and has come to the Fire Utopia. It appears to be leading the LFTM."

Hermione fell back in her throne, stunned at the news. Her blockade was supposed to be impossible to run, it was what protected her enlightened Fire Utopia from the unenlightened nations that sought to destroy it. And yet, despite all her preparations, the most power, racist, bigoted and intolerant individual in the world, Avatar Harry himself, had gotten past it unnoticed. The Avatar was a symbol, one she had fought so hard to tear down over the last 5 years, but a symbol nonetheless. He could rally the uneducated masses and he had the power to challenge her. Hermione couldn't let that happen.

"If you are correct, then that information cannot leave this room." Hermione said the anger and hate evident as she spoke. She had regained her composure and was now leaning forward and looking down at three of her most important subordinates.

"My Empress, there were people who witnessed a man with glowing white eyes take out almost all the Enforcers that were stationed there." The Commissioner said, the fear palpable in his voice. "I don't know if we can keep this quiet."

"Well do so by any means necessary, or else you will face treason chargers." Hermione said leaning further forward and pleased to see the Commissioner flinch back in terror. "Understand this. If any believe that the Avatar has come here to save them from the equality that I have given them, then we lose what little power we have left. As intolerant, racist, bigoted, and elitist as Avatar Harry is, he still defeated Voldemort, someone who's evil has never been matched in history, and as such, the Avatar holds a near godlike status in some parts of my nation. All this despite my attempts to show the people the true nature of Avatar Harry, one that only I can see. If they think he is leading the rebellion against me, then they will listen to his hateful views and rally behind him simply because he is the Avatar. The people will shackle themselves once more if the Avatar tells them to do so because they do not know any better. From this point, any who even hint at the Avatar's presence in the Fire Utopia will be arrested for terrorism. Even saying his name in anyway that is not how I allow it, those laws will come soon, will land that person a life sentence of hard labor. Am I clear."

"Yes Empress." The three subordinates chorused in unison.

"Good." Hermione said leaning back in her throne. "Now please tell me you have pictures of him and his accomplishes. I can only assume that they are the elitist and purist thinking Prince Ron and his sister Princess Ginny of the Southern Water Tribe, the former elitist and Purist Lord Neville, he is one of the many still wanted criminals from Iroh's tyrannical regime, and an airbender called Luna who goes against the Air Nation's teachings on equality to serve the forces of injustice. Before her exile, Myrtle, who I recognize as the leader of the Air Nation due to her status as an Enlightened, formally kicked Luna out of the Air Nation so the airbender is no longer an Air Nomad."

"We have descriptions of the 5 individuals who we believe to be the LFTM." The Director said with a formal nod from her kneeling position. "I already have my people working on sketches."

"Good, have them circulated around the whole nation." Hermione said formally. "No names, just label them as the LFTM terrorists. We do not want to let the people know that the entire Team Avatar, or Team Tyrant as they are known as here, are in my nation."

"It will be done my Empress." The Director said loyally.

"What are your orders my Empress?" Dean asked.

"Here is what we will do." Hermione said knowing that her words now carried the weight of law. "I will formally condemn the actions of the rebels in Fire Fountain City over the radio and make a speech about the actions that occurred there. While I am doing that, I want y'all to pull all Chosen, Enforcers and Military that can be spared back to the Capital so that they can protect me. I am clearly the Avatar's target and if I am taken out there will be no one left to continue my enlightened laws because the Avatar will have power so my fellow Enlightened will not return while he is here."

"Your will be done." Dean said reverently. "But what of my fallen brother? We must honor Entwhistle's sacrifice."

"Do not worry, we will." Hermione said with a nod, she was going to milk Entwhistle's death for all that it was worth. "I hereby declare a week of mourning for Chosen Entwhistle and will posthumously award him the Flame of Enlightenment for his bravery and noble service to the Fire Utopia. He died a hero and I will make sure the public knows of his heroic sacrifice for them. Once the week is over, I shall also begin a series of rallies to remind the public who their rightful and enlightened leader is and that without me they would still be the slaves of tyrants, a position they will return to if the LFTM wins. As I said, I shall personally address the nation over the radio and condemn these terrorists once more and all who support them, while also laying out my latest series of laws that will deal with these assholes and their supporters."

"Will you do anything about the traitors in Fire Fountain City, my Empress?" The Director asked.

"Not right away but mark my words, they will pay." Hermione said to the loyal leader of her secret police. "First we bolster our defenses in the Capital and wait for them to launch their attack here. The Avatar would not have tried to reveal himself after a month of hiding unless he was nearing his endgame. We shall defeat him here once and for all and finally rid the world of the last symbol of hate. Hopefully we are able to lure in the Green Brigade, the Griffins, and the Sun Warriors as well, that way we will destroy all the rebel groups in one fell swoop. After the Avatar is executed, I want the FUICEE to begin an exhaustive hunt for his reincarnation, which we know will be within the Fire Utopia, and then we can raise the new Avatar in line with my enlightened views. That way, the ne Avatar will know that I am the only person who should be followed and we will have the most powerful weapon under my control so that we can force the rest of the world to comply with my enlightened views and the laws that they are. Now get to it my faithful servants."

"Yes your majesty." The three senior officials said before they rose and left Hermione on her own to contemplate the new laws that she needed to make up.

* * *

Somehow the next 2 months pasted without any incidents of rebellion. The LFTM had built up a large following among the people and with the fall of Fire Fountain City Hermione could no longer just arrest all their supporters without looking like the tyrant they had falsely accused her of being. Hermione had wanted to do that, and she was still going to do so, but first she had to crush the Avatar's rebellion. Then she could execute all the traitors in her nation and make restore peace, glory and equality to the Fire Utopia for decades to come.

Until then though, Hermione had been forced to call in all the military, Chosen, and Enforcers that she could spare without sacrificing the safety that the blockade provided her. She knew that the Avatar would strike in the Crucible of Enlightenment. When he did, Hermione would crush him here and then restore her nation to what it had been before he had messed with her perfect utopia. She would do this by any means necessary and thus show the world what true equality and enlightened leadership was.

Just as she was about to think that the Avatar had finally given up and left the Fire Utopian upon realizing that he was wrong about everything after seeing how perfect her and equal her nation was, she felt the palace shake and knew that the terrorist had attacked. A moment later Dean came running into the throne room, yet again a look of worry on his face.

"My Empress, the Avatar has attacked along with a combined forces of all the rebel groups that we know of and several civilians who have sided with him in the Capital." Dean said as he staggered to a halt before the throne and dropping to one knee as he addressed her. "He has personally called you out to do battle with him, the same thing he did to Voldemort 5 years ago. The Avatar has accused you of cowardice if you do not face him one on one. I suggest that you do so to prove your known superiority and to avoid the bloodshed of a full scale battle within the confines of the Crucible would produce."

"Then it is time to end him once and for all." Hermione said with vehemence in her voice, her victory was at hand. "However I will not meet that traitor one on one. He would cheat and stab me in the back, he has no honor. No, I will not play his games. I know I am his superior and so do the people still loyal to me. Take charge of the Chosen and order all of them, other than yourself, Colin and Dennis, into to the Palace to protect me with their lives and then go and await the Avatar outside the palace, if he gets that far. The Chosen must do their sworn duty and protect me at all costs for I am all that stands between equality and tyranny. The Avatar has made his move and brought the war to my doorstep, history will know that all I did was defend myself against the actions of a monster. We will not falter, we will not yield, and we will not submit to tyrants again. Today we stand and fight to defend equality from those who would wise to strip us of it. Today we show the world that the Fire Utopia is the greatest nation in the world when we defeat these terrorists and execute them for their countless crimes. To arms my brother and lead our brave and valiant defenders against those who would wish to enslave us once more."

Hermione finished her passionate and impromptu speech on her feet and in response Dean rose, stood tall, and saluted his Empress before he ran off to follow her orders to the letter. Hermione knew that soon the Avatar would be in chains and she would have ended the last threat to her dominance and rule. Only then would the people finally realize that challenging her tolerant, fair and enlightened laws that had restored equality with the hate of the those opposed to her was futile. They would finally bow to her and let her lead them the way she was meant to. The time for her final victory over the evil Avatar had come.

 **Again sorry that this is late and sorry that this is so long, there was a lot of actions that Harry took that Hermione had to react to. The main purpose of this chapter is to show how the power that Hermione took for herself has utterly corrupted her and changed her into something even the Hermione in the first book of this series might not have recognized. It is supposed to show that the tighter you latch onto something, the stronger you make your grip, and the more extreme you become, the more likely you are to lose whatever it is that you are trying to hold. This is Hermione's decent into near madness as the power corrupts her mind and makes her believe that she is untouchable. All this sets up the final arc of Book 2 that the next chapter will be a transition into. The only things to note here are that all characters in this chapter except the Commissioner of the Enforcers of Enlightenment are based of, but not at all like, certain Harry Potter characters. Dean, Colin and Dennis are obvious as they correspond with the three muggleborns in Gryffindor with Hermione, Myrtle is a still living Moaning Myrtle, Leach is a former Minister for Magic and first muggleborn to hold the title Nobby Leach, and Cresswell is based of Dirk Cresswell, a muggleborn mentioned a few times and heard briefly in Deathly Hallows. Arabella refers to Arabella Figg though she is very different, I just needed a squib for the role of the Director of the FUICEE due to squibs hating purebloods almost as much as muggleborns do so she makes the perfect alley to the Enlightened.** ** ** ** **That's all for this long post chapter note** **, keep letting me know what you think of this story in the reviews and any questions asked in reviews or PMs to me will be answered at the start of next week's chapter when it is released, whenever that might be. Until next week.********

 ** ** ** **Stringdog********


	23. Chapter 23

**Here is the 23rd chapter of Book 2, only slightly late this week. This chapter marks a return to the main story after the 4 chapter arc looking at the other major players in Book 2 who aren't part of Team Avatar. This also marks the beginning of the last arc of Book 2 as we approach the climax of Harry's attempt to liberate the Fire Nation.** ** ** **Nothing else to add here so sit back and enjoy the latest installment in Avatar: The Tale of Harry. Book 2: Equality.******

 ** ** **Disclaimer: As always I won nothing related to either of these two great works of fiction.******

 **Chapter 23**

"You are the Avatar, aren't you?" Seamus asked again, this time looking for confirmation, as he walked further into the house. "You are actually here, in the Fire Nation, helping us?"

"What do you think Seamus." Neville said from behind him. Harry smiled as Seamus jumped and turned to see his old dorm friend.

"Neville, I thought one of those pictures looked a little like you." Seamus said as he suddenly hugged Neville. "Well if you are here then this must be Avatar Harry."

"I am a little surprised you don't recognize me." Harry said with a laugh as the rebel leaders and Pyrites walked further into the house. "Or that the rest of didn't for that matter. I've either faced you in the arena or knew you from the Fire House. I guess that my disguise seems to be working, even if I am not trying as hard as I was a few months back."

"True but I for one barely knew you." Oliver said as he walked to Harry and shook his hand warmly. "Though I probably should have expected you to be behind all this seeing as the reports I have heard are of 5 rebels managing to take down around 100 or so of Hermione's soldiers and enforcers and claiming to be here to free us from that tyrant. That being said, they are the most skilled individuals in the Fire Nation. Mostly her forces are made up of sycophants, opportunists, and criminals who follow her and uphold her laws for various reasons ranging from actually believing the shit she spews all the way to using it as a cover for their own enrichment or lust."

"The attack on the Sun Warriors wasn't them, it was us who freed them and took out a large portion of Hermione's most loyal soldiers with our dragons." Charlie said after he had finished embracing Ron and Ginny. "Though it was Harry's idea for us to free them when he surprised me in my tent at the Dragon Sanctuary. Good to see you finally shaved that beard Ron."

"Once the pictures of us came out we had to once again disguise ourselves." Ron said idly stoking his now bare face. "Though one day it may return, if I feel like I need to grow it out again."

"Well it worked as intended." Pyrites said as he sat down on the sofa. "You don't look like your picture anymore, especially given the fact that you shaved your head and now have some ginger fuzz that isn't the same color as your former beard. So if we are done with the introductions, can we please get down to business?"

"One last thing." Katie said turning to Harry. "It was you who created that impressive tidal wave that destroyed the factory right? At least that is what y'all claimed destroyed the ore factory at the time. That should have tipped us off that the Avatar was in town given the amount of power required to pull off a move like that."

"Actually that was me." Ron said with a grin. "I let my anger get the better of me in that case and well it produced a spectacular result."

"That was a night of interesting, and at times terrifying, moments." Harry said to the stunned group. "Ginny took down 7 of the soldiers with just a hunting knife and one of her sais, though the latter only accounted for one of the 7 soldiers. The terrifying part of the night was that I unfortunately almost lost my fiancé."

"Really Gin? Ron Is this true?" Charlie asked, clearly stunned at the news. "I never expected that from either of you."

"You would be surprised what one can do with anger, and the threat of rape, is on one's side." Ginny said from the table as she withdrew and began to play with the very hunting knife she had used that night. "But in this case, I honestly have little recollection of the event. I remember the asshole officer threatening to sell me into sexual slavery and throwing my remaining sai at him but that's it. The next thing I know it's morning and I'm waking up in a healer's hut with a splitting headache and two fresh scars. Turns out I got wounded during the fight and almost bled out if not for Ron's rather crude, but vital, healing. I don't regret what I did, but it's still not exactly something I can comment on, or particularly want to do again anytime soon."

"Well as lovely as this chat has been, there is still much to do and well you never know if Hermione has gotten wind of anything." Pyrites said getting off the sofa and going to the table and grabbing a chair before bringing it into the living room area. "This house is sound proofed so we can be safe from eavesdroppers but we cannot dally. As much as I hate to admit it, her secret police seem to have been doing a decent job in gathering intel, just not at my level of course. Also, it may have been a month since the last act of terror by the LFTM as the state run media here puts it, but we shouldn't sit around for too long and allow Hermione to build up her forces in the Capital. There is already a higher military and Enforcers presence in this city than I would have predicted and I am a pessimistic fucker when it comes to predicting the size of an opponent's forces."

"No we shouldn't." Harry agreed grabbing a chair and moving to continue forming a ring in the living room. "But there is still much to do."

Neville moved to sit on the sofa, as did Luna and Ron, while the others all grabbed a chair and joined the circle. Once they were all seated, Harry turned expectantly to Pyrites.

"What is the update on your mission?"

"Well as you can see I found the two main rebel groups." Pyrites said as he indicated Seamus and Oliver. "The Green Brigade and the Griffins respectively. It took a little convincing to get them on our side, but the proof you and Druzok provided was enough to get Seamus on board and then he helped persuade Oliver over to our cause. Charlie was already on your side but I had to meet him to persuade him of the need for this meeting, plus he wanted to meet me. I credit all the paranoia they have shown and precautions they have taken."

"If we had known that the Avatar was in the country and was getting ready to take down the Empress, we would have sided with you sooner." Seamus said firmly. "You are the greatest symbol for hope in this country. With your return, we will get the public on our side and end the illegal reign of Hermione the Cruel."

"I wanted to announce my presence but had to keep a low profile." Harry said with a sigh. "At least at first I had to maintain a low profile. By the time we reached Fire Fountain City I was ready to show myself. I did just that, though it is clear that Hermione buried that information."

"It is her style to make sure that anything negative is suppressed." Oliver said nodding. "She doesn't want anything that might threaten her hold on power ot that could challenge her views and thus inform the public that there is a way of thinking that is Hermione's way. To our tyrannical Empress, if it isn't totally in line with her views then it is hate speech and treason. I knew her vaguely from the Fire House, I was even one of her opponents when she was trying to achieve master status, she has always been like this. I beat her in 10 minutes and wasn't even trying my hardest and yet she accused me of cheating. I wasn't. when I pointed that out to her she accused me of hate speech and stormed off. Now I am on friendly terms with her due to my status as commoner who made it in the probending world."

"That's still better than when I faced her." Harry said shaking his head at the memory. "She tried to kill me after I beat her and there was clear evidence that I didn't cheat. It is hard to earthbend when there is a machine that can tell if you do so."

"I heard of that incident." Oliver said. "She still claims victory in that match against you in her many speeches denouncing and defaming you. It is one of her many points she uses to try and turn the people against the Avatar."

"Well if all goes according to plan, she will get her rematch soon enough." Harry said with grim determination. "And this time around, I won't be limited to firebending, not that I needed anything more than firebending to beat her the first time around."

"So as much as I hate to agree with Pyrites on just about anything, let's get back onto topic." Ron said clapping his hands. "What are the forces that we have between us? We need to know our chances against the forces that Hermione has defending the Capital."

"100 men and women between the trainers and the Sun Warriors." Charlie said at once. "Plus at least 2 tamed dragons. The others aren't trained to the point of riding and fighting at the same time would likely just cause more harm than good as we cannot account for friendly fire from those dragons. I already have Hagrid bringing our forces into position at the western base of the Caldera. The Sun Warriors won't change to blend in as they have a set attire for war that has cultural meaning and they won't change that no matter what. As such, we will have to come over the lip of the caldera and repel down to join the fight. Hagrid and I are the trainers of the two dragons that are trained well enough to fight will fly in on them and lead our charge."

"And the Sun Warriors are willing to fight with us against Hermione?" Harry asked Charlie.

"They are." Charlie said with a firm nod. "They have been waiting for this chance since Hermione committed sacrilege against them by forcing changes to their culture that she saw as needed to correct her own perceptions of injustice within Sun Warrior culture. Then she effective imprisoned them on their land in order to preserve their culture and treated them as exotic pets. They knew opposition would likely end in an elimination of their culture, but now that they are free, willing to aid us with as many warriors as they can spare while keeping enough to sustain a viable gene pool and maintain their culture."

"Very well." Ron said as he pulled out a paper and pen and jotted down what Charlie had said before turning to Seamus. "Seamus, how large is the Green Brigade?"

"I can probably get in about 250 people, maybe 300, with the expertise, and willingness, to fight against Hermione." Seamus said after a moment's thought. "Most are firebenders but there should be a decent number of expat earthbenders who want to defend their adoptive country, as well as plenty of skilled nonbenders. It will take a few weeks to get them all into the city though as it will have to be done gradually so as to not arouse suspicion."

"That is how this will all have to go." Pyrites said. "Hermione will be pulling in all the troops that she can so we can use that as a cover of sorts but while she will be bringing them in a stream, we will be bringing in our troops in a trickle."

"I can provide about 100 as well, give or take a few." Oliver said. "My group was more about information gathering than providing armed rebels to attack Hermione. Most should be willing to fight for the chance to lift the boot of oppression that Hermione has ground into our backs though. All are trained to fight though, I only accept those who can defend themselves."

"They all know that this will not be a clean fight, right?" Harry asked the three rebel leaders who had gathered in the safe house. "They all know that the forces loyal to Hermione will fight to kill and as such we are authorized to use lethal force in return as it falls within the laws of war, which make no mistake, we are about to start a war. People will die, on both sides, that is inevitable."

"The Green Brigade know what is at stake and they are willing to lay down their lives for the chance of freedom from the tyranny that we have been under for the last 5 years." Seamus said with determination. "We all are Harry. Wars and rebellions may not always be necessary to force change, but they are always bloody and will incur death. Do not forget that I fought by y'alls side in the Battle of the Elemental Academy before I was able to sneak back into my homeland. I too have seen friends fall to the hands of monsters and have slain a few of those monsters myself, which is why I am hesitant to trust a Death Eater but we all know the price we face should we fail. Hermione will not be kind, swift, or painless, with our very public and very brutal executions."

"Y'all are right to not trust me." Pyrites agreed. "I don't share your moderate views on the world, I do not support democracy, free speech, and an equal and fair society. We are better than the nonbenders and I will always believe that benders should be superior and rule the inferior nonbenders. I won't lie to y'all, I am only doing this for my own freedom, not yours. The Avatar currently has my balls in a vice and I have to behave or else he will crush them. I will do my part though but I must go to my mansion and reclaim it first from whichever elite Chosen has been gifted it and as such polluted it with his or her mudblood stench. I have a few items there that I will need for the coming war."

"Good, I just wanted to make sure that y'all know that while we could win, we could all fall when we launch our counter coup." Harry said ignoring Pyrites's statement entirely. "But I know that if all seems lost, I must flee as should I fall I will be reincarnated in the Fire Nation. If that happens, then my next life can be brainwashed by Hermione to be her puppet and tool of tyranny against the world."

"We know Harry and if it comes to that we will do what we can to protect you." Ginny said taking his hand. "No matter the cost."

"What of the civilians?" Luna asked with concern in her voice. "We need to at least let them know that a battle is imminent so that they can take shelter. I for one want to minimize civilian casualties."

"What of them." Pyrites said bluntly. "They can stay in and shelter as best they can, join us in freeing their nation from a mudblood cunt, or die in the crossfire it's as simple as…"

Pyrites didn't get to finish his thought before he yelped in pain from an audible electrical shock and fell off backwards his chair to land in a heap on the floor. Getting up and making an exaggerated show of dusting himself off he sat back down and glowered at Harry. Harry knew he was smirking as he held the remote that controlled Pyrites' ankle monitor in his hand. The former Death Eater had deserved it and Pyrites knew it.

"Don't deny you deserved that." Harry said with a smirk. "But yes, Luna, I do think we need to think of the civilians who call this city home. I have thought about it and I think that it would be best to wait until well past curfew to begin the attack. I also wanted to wait that late so that the moon, preferably a full moon, is up so that firebenders are at their weakest while our waterbenders are at their strongest."

"That is a good time but we should let the people know that there is about to be a battle in the middle of Royal Caldera City." Ron said as he looked at them with a thoughtful look on his face. "Is there a main communications tower in the city? I have heard Hermione's speeches so there must be a city wide public-address system."

"There are two." Oliver said with a nod. "One is in the Enforcers of Enlightenment headquarters which will be too well guarded to use, the other is in the media tower near Freedom Square. The latter should be the best one to use as it will only not be as heavily guarded."

"Very well, that is where I shall go." Harry said making up his mind about what he had to do to kick off the battle. "Oliver, I will need you accompany me while the rest get into position as you seem to know the internal system the best."

"I do, I have spent the last 5 years worming my way into the bureaucracy of Hermione's regime so that I can gather intelligence for the Griffins." Wood confirmed. "Just in case you came here to help free us, I wanted to make sure that you had some actionable intel. I will help you with whatever you need, Katie can make sure the Griffins are in place."

"Good." Harry said with a thin smile at Oliver.

"What will you do?" Ginny asked him.

"The same as I did before Voldemort attacked the Elemental Academy." Harry said with a grin. "Announce my presence and intentions, tell the citizens to remain safe and inside and then call out the cunt and hope that she isn't a coward and willing to face me head on the way Voldemort ultimately did. If she does then all the needless bloodshed of a battle could be avoided."

"That's a good idea." Ron said with a nod at Harry. "By calling Hermione out and challenging her to a one on one battle to end this before it begins it makes her the villain if she is a coward and refuses to fight me. Though there will be blood on all of our hands, the citizens will see it as her fault that innocents died because she refused to end this when she had a chance. I respected Kuvira for facing Korra before the Battle of Zaofu, let's see if Hermione will show the same leadership and courage."

"She won't, Hermione is a coward." Oliver said shaking his head. "She will hide behind the Chosen and the other authorities and hole herself up in the palace until it is over, or until she is dragged out in chains. She won't flee as she is supremely confident in her right to rule but she will not fight unless forced to, she has made that point very clear."

"What's her logic behind that?" Ginny asked confused. "Surely if she is this great leader and bender because of her birth, she will show it off to all."

"Her logic, if she ever has any, is that she is the only Enlightened person in the nation and only and Enlightened has a right to lead." Katie answered quickly. "She has made this point abundantly clear over the years. All must be willing to lay down their lives so that her enlightened rule can continue. Only as a last resort will she fight but Hermione has made it clear that she will never flee."

"We know that we will have to defeat the military, the Enforcers of Enlightenment and the Blades who have no doubt been called into the city to boost Hermione's defenses." Seamus said firmly. "As well as any of the sneaky FUICEE agents who might decide that they want in. It will be a tough fight but we are ready for it. Taking down Hermione and restoring freedom to the Fire Nation is worth the costs of the upcoming battle."

"Very well and where shall the rest of us be?" Neville asked looking over at Ron who was the de facto strategist of the group.

"Spread out across Royal Caldera City." Ron said, they had all agreed not to call the city by the new name Hermione and her ego had given it. "The members of Team Avatar will be roving around as a unit, aiding where we are most needed and then we will head to Freedom Square as soon as we can to regroup with Harry for our attack on the Palace. Katie and Seamus will position the Griffins and Green Brigade as they see fit, though I suggest going after the Enforcers and the FUICEE headquarters. While this is going on, the Sun Warriors and the will dragons come in under Charlie and aid in the battle wherever needed. I think the dragons should try and strife the palace though as it will help remove the guards for our assault. The layout of that courtyard is deliberately designed to fuck over would be attackers so we will need the aerial support."

"We will test their defenses and aid you as we can, but we will not risk their lives." Charlie said to Ron. "Those two dragons are our most valuable assets and we will not risk losing them."

"That is fine with us." Ron said looking at their semi-tame Death Eater. "Pyrites can do whatever the fuck he wants to do."

"Fine with me." Pyrites said with a smile. "I will reclaim my mansion and then join where I see fit. It has been years since I was in a proper battle, the Dark Lord didn't let me participate that much because of my indispensable value to the spy network. I am looking forward to the coppery tang of blood once more."

"Just do what you have to in order to fulfill our deal." Harry said to Pyrites, the spymaster just nodded at this.

"I agree with Ron, though I will have to explore the city this week to see where to put my rebels." Seamus said.

"Same." Katie agreed.

"Good and I will be the signal for the attack to begin, and trust me you will know my signal when it happens." Harry said as he looked around the room of rebel leaders, and Pyrites. "After my announcement wait for my signal and then begin your own attacks. Given the forces Hermione will have amassed, I say it would be easier to riot and try and draw them from the palace, and try to take down her tools of oppression in the process, while Team Avatar heads to the palace to take down Hermione."

"And if the people join in on both sides?" Neville asked causing all to look at him. "What? It happened during the riot in Fire Fountain City so we best be prepared for it."

"That was unplanned but expected after Ron head butted the captain of the Enforcers." Harry said looking at his best friend who just looked sheepish at the indignant way he had begun the riot there. "But yes, that may happen. If they attack us then defend yourself, though only use lethal force if necessary, but if they aid us then help them. I assume the Griffins and Green Brigade have distinctive uniforms that will mark them as allies just as we know that the military, Chosen, and Enforcers have uniforms. I know the Sun Warriors have distinctive outfits."

"They do." Both Oliver and Seamus agreed.

"We will make sure that they're outfits are hidden until the signal is given." Katie added. "So as to not give away the plan before it happens."

"Good then let's get too it." Harry said clapping his hands and standing. "There is still plenty to do before we can finally free the Fire Nation from tyranny and oppression. Ironically, the very thing that Hermione falsely claimed she was doing in the first place to justify her brutal and repressive regime."

The others all rose and began to prepare to leave the safe house. Steadily the rebel leaders left at staggered intervals and only when Harry assured them the coast was clear. It was up to them to find their way out of the city or to lodgings during curfew but all looked like part of the authoritative infrastructure under Hermione, so they should be fine. Harry trusted that skilled rebel leaders and a spymaster could pass through the city at this hour without a problem.

They couldn't all stay here, or return that often, as it was best for them to have a little contact as possible. Pyrites had told them in a letter than the Green Brigade and the Griffins had trusted assets who could access the spirit world so that would be where they coordinated with Ginny and Luna about the final plans.

After Pyrites was the last to leave, they returned the chairs to the tale and gathered around it to have a private discussion. It had been a productive meeting and had allowed them to coordinate for the upcoming battle, but Team Avatar had some private things that they needed to discuss amongst themselves.

"You didn't mention to them that you have created glassbending." Ginny said as Team Avatar all sat back down.

"I am still working out all the kinks of it." Harry said with a shrug. "It requires a similar technique to metalbending but sand has less substance than standard earth so it is harder to grip without a natural affinity for, or a lot of training in, sandbending. Also, as with metalbending the purity of glass in question plays a role and glass purity is even more varied than metal. No, I will save it for an emergency."

"I think that is a wise decision." Ron said with a nod. "Best to keep something as revolutionary as that close to the vest just in case. If there is one thing that Pyrites has taught us that is worth listening to, it is to not overplay your hand. Always keep a few tricks up your sleeve for a rainy day."

"I was only wondering why." Ginny said. "I agree that it shouldn't be made public knowledge just yet. Wait until after we have defeated Hermione to inform the world of the latest subbending art."

"Well after 2 months here and seeing a lot of what Hermione has put the country through, it is almost time to launch the attack." Harry said firmly before he turned to Ron. "What do you think our chances are?"

"50/50" Ron said immediately, Harry knew that his best friend would have given this attack a lot of thought given the scale of it and the potential for civilian casualties. "Given the numbers advantage Hermione has, we will have to be swift and precise with our assault on the Palace. I think the dragons will play a key role in that though, as will you Harry. As the Avatar your power cannot be matched by anyone here, though I suggest you save the Avatar State for emergencies. The closest to you was Voldemort and he failed in the end and lost his bending in the end. So long as we get into the Palace, victory will be ours."

"True and we all know how skilled Hermione actually is." Neville pointed out. "It may have been 6 years since we last saw her in action, but do you really think she is any better than she was when you faced her at the Academy, Harry?"

"No, she may have kept up with her training but unless she allows her considerable rage to control her actions, I doubt that I will have much of a problem against her." Harry answered. "It's more the fact that we will have to go through, and likely kill, many of her most fanatical followers. I will reserve the Avatar State for when it is most needed but it will be a tough battle regardless."

"I still can't understand why she would want to sacrifice so many lives just to protect her own ass." Luna said shaking her head. As the most pacifistic amongst them, Harry knew that Luna had always struggled with the mortality aspect of their missions.

"At least Voldemort had the balls to fight his own fight when he saw fit." Luna continued. "He may have tried to weaken you first, but he was still willing to fight. Hermione will hide until confronted."

"I don't know what goes on in her mind." Harry said shaking his head. "I understand Katie's point earlier but I still struggle with why people follow a leader who is willing to sacrifice theirs to save her own. It could be a power thing I guess, Voldemort was more powerful than Hermione and she knows I can beat her, but I don't think that's it."

"I may know." Ginny said causing all to look at her and she blushed. "What? Can't I sometimes be the royal waterbender here with a good idea."

This caused them all to burst out laughing at her comments. Ginny did have some insight into things that even Ron didn't. It was why Harry encouraged input from all his friends, they all had different perspectives and solutions to problems so between them they could figure out almost anything.

"Of course, Ginny." Ron said once the laughter had died down. "I know I am not infallible, nor am I always right. I am humble enough to admit if I am wrong and I am always willing to listen to others and their differing views so as to become a more rounded person. This is unlike someone we all could name."

"True." Ginny said with a laugh of her own. "Very well, here is my theory as to her cowardice and it is an expansion on what Katie said earlier. It isn't so much her unwillingness to fight or to kill, we know she executed Iroh in cold blood after all. No, I believe it has something to do with the fact that she has convinced herself that she and she alone is enlightened enough to lead."

"Isn't that what Katie said?" Ron asked. "She said that Hermione has admitted that much herself."

"Yes she did, but think about it on a deeper level." Ginny said. "While we have been in the Fire Nation, we have seen her get more and more unstable as when have pressed towards the Capital, successfully challenging her authority along the way. All the while, Hermione keeps touting that she is the only one who can save the nation from her perception of tyranny, that she is the only person who can lead the people, the only one who they should follow, and finally that only her views are needed in the nation. To me, this shows me that she is terrified of losing her power but also that she is more terrified that if she dies then there is no one left to continue her warped and twisted legacy and her perversion of equality and fairness."

"That seems to fit with what we know about Hermione and her actions over the last 5 years." Harry interrupted. "She believes that she and she alone can lead so it would make sense that she is terrified of losing her power."

"I think her fear is more than just losing her power." Ginny said before she continued her theory. "If she falls, then she knows that the Fire Utopia and all that she had built falls with her. Therefore, she needs to stay alive at all costs to preserve her views and the nation that she has created. What better way to stay safe then to sacrifice as many fanatics who will all die for her before she has to actually fight herself."

"Which makes no sense given her claims of being a master firebender on par with the greatest of all time." Neville said shaking his head. "It's hypocritical that she would claim to be so great at bending but use her fanatics to fight for her."

"There is no doubt that she will still think she is the best there is but in her mind she probably doesn't see why risk herself needlessly." Ginny said. "What makes us different is that we are willing to fight from the front and to put our lives on the line rather than allow others to fight and die for us. The exception is Harry but his case is understandable and necessary and he will still fight so long as he can see a chance for victory. For fucks sake I almost died because of this rebellion and I would do it again if it came to it, we all would. Hermione on the other hand, well she will only fight if forced into a corner and that is what we will have to do to her. That will be where she is the most dangerous but it will likely be the only way we can bring her down."

"I couldn't agree more, we will always fight from the front." Harry said. "Except I would rather you not go berserk again while basically only wearing underwear and wielding nothing but a hunting knife, despite a plentiful supply of water near you."

"No promises." Ginny said with a smile before she gave him a chaste kiss.

"What you say of Hermione makes sense Ginny." Ron said after a moment's thought. "It would certainly explain a lot regarding her behavior and mindset. I agree, I hate killing when there is no need but alas when dealing with a fanatic there is no reasoning with them as we have seen with both Hermione's fanatics and Voldemort's."

"Unless they are Pyrites, but he is a special case." Neville said causing them all to laugh once more.

"Pyrites is a little different." Harry agreed as the laughter died down. "There is no doubt that he's a racist, bigoted, intolerant, and elitist asshole but he willingly admits to all that. Pyrites knows that he is on the fringes of acceptable society, but the man is not a fanatic as he would rather live in a world where he has no power, than die for his beliefs in order to win. We saw it when he fled during the raid on the Elemental Academy rather than fight me, and again when he surrendered without a fight and made the deal that brought down Voldemort's information network and turned the tide of the war. Pyrites may lust for information and the power it gives him, but he knows when he's beat and he knows when to cut a deal that will benefit him, it is why we were able to use him for this mission."

"Pyrites also knew that we would be desperate and that he was probably the only possible source of help in taking down Hermione." Ron added. "So he parried it into his own advantages."

"Well if that is all I am tired and would like to turn in for the night." Luna said stretching and yawning with a lot of exaggeration. "Come on Ron, this house may be soundproof but let's see if it is Luna proof. My ass is waiting for your dominant hand."

Luna rose and walked to the guest room shaking her ass seductively at Ron as Harry, Ginny and Neville head butted the table in unison while Ron rose to follow his fiancé with an apologetic look on his face.

It wasn't long before they found out that the house was in fact not Luna proof. That would make for a fun conversation with the neighbors, if they ever met Harry that is. Harry did agree with Luna on the fact that it was time to turn in, they had a lot to plan and a limited amount of time to plan it.

* * *

It took another month to make sure that everything was in place for the proposed attack that would finally bring Hermione to justice. Well it would likely be more a series of riots to draw attention away from the palace so that Harry and Team Avatar could attack it. Hermione would know he was on his way, but the whole city would know that she was offered the chance to avoid bloodshed by facing the Avatar one on one and was too cowardly to do so.

The first 3 weeks were spent getting the 400 or rebels from the various groups, minus the Sun Warriors, into the city. Pyrites had offered to contact a few of the scum suckers and thugs he knew, and who might be still alive and free, to let them know of the riot and see if they wanted to participate given that they would likely do so in the end regardless.

Harry agreed but only if Pyrites knew that they were to only aid them in the attack and to serve as a counter to the Blades. If they began to line their own pockets with anything that wasn't theirs, or settle personal scores, Pyrites would face the punishment for it, up to and including the voiding of his deal. That got Pyrites to quickly assure him that they would be used to cause chaos and deal with the Blades and that was all that they would do.

Once everyone was in the city, and in their attack positions, they had to wait another week to make sure that Hermione had gotten a little complacent regarding an impending attack from them the LFTM, and to make sure all knew the plan. Once the plan was finalized, it just became a matter of waiting until the full moon that was scheduled in a few days so that waterbending would be at its maximum while firebending at its weakest, except during an eclipse.

At last the night came and everyone had to get into position. It was time to spark a riot in the heart of the Fire Nation and hopefully end Hermione's reign of terror.

* * *

Harry and Oliver were hiding in the shadows near the media tower as the time for the attack to begin approached. Oliver was dressed in a red vest, edged in black, and matching pants with griffin emblazoned across the back, the uniform of one the Griffins. Harry knew that Oliver was a skilled firebender, he had made it as a probender which was testament to his skill. However, as an Academy graduate, Oliver could also use a weapon for when he couldn't bend. In Oliver's case it was a long, wooden, staff similar to an old Air Nomad glider staff but without the retractable glider.

Harry had decided that he was done trying to blend in in the Fire Nation and had donned a forest green vest with a silver trim and the crest of Omashu in silver on the left breast, no shirt, and a pair of matching green pants and black metal boots. He had a metal spool on one hip and his water skin on the other and his swords strapped to his back. Lastly, he had added his signature green headband to confirm his identity. There was no hiding it anymore, the Avatar had returned to the Fire Nation.

Harry knew that Ginny, Ron and Charlie had gone with full Southern Water Tribe war outfits, complete with the wolf helmets, which Charlie had kept as a dragon trainer, and the traditional war paint. Luna had revered back to the traditional glider suit and Neville wore what he would have worn to train in at the Academy. They were all kitted out for battle.

The time for hiding was over, the time for decisive final action had come. Nodding to Oliver, Harry and the probender walked purposely out of the shadows and towards the media tower, one of Hermione's primary tools in her repressive regime.

The media tower, because it was the key building in Hermione's arsenal of propaganda instruments, was always active and manned and guarded by two Enforcers of Enlightenment 24/7. Harry approached the two with the confident and calm stride of a man who knew where he was going and what he wanted to do.

"Halt." One of the Enforcers said with a decent amount of authority. "You are breaking curfew citizen and you are approaching a restricted zone. If you proceed you will be arrested, convicted, and sentenced to a decade of hard labor for interfering with the Empress's news distributer."

"I am here to make an announcement to the city in general and to the Empress in particular." Harry said with a smile as he continued towards the officer, Oliver still by his side. "You can try and stop me, but you will fail."

"I'd like to see you defeat a pair of highly trained Enforcers." The other officer scoffed at Harry. "Go on, take him, it ain't like these two are much of a threat."

"Yeah." The first Enforcer said taking a fighting stance. "The threat of terrorists was clearly false, it's just these two and not the 5 that were reported. I knew the LFTM was always just a bunch of fucking pussies and it ain't like the Avatar has gotten past the safety cordon."

"They really don't make you too intelligent do they." Harry said offhandedly as he got into striking distance. "Then again, Hermione wouldn't want to hire people who could think for themselves, she has to do the thinking for you, am I right?"

"That's it, you are under arrest, both of you." The second Enforcer snarled, the anger clear in his voice. "We can think of any additional charges to bring against you two later."

As he moved towards Harry, the Avatar struck with a speed few could match. Harry quickly sidestepped the Enforcer and hit him in the side with a series of short, sharp, jabs using just his knuckles and quickly spinning around to the Enforcer's other side and repeating the attack.

Harry had learned chi blocking in his last year at the Academy just in case he needed a way to quickly take down an enemy without killing him, but he had never done it in a real-life situation until now. The Enforcer crumpled and Harry knocked him out with a final jab to a presser point on his neck. He turned to see Oliver holding the other Enforcer in a chokehold, his staff discarded on the ground at their feet.

"Shhh, go to sleep." The burly probender said as the Enforcer struggled for a moment before passing out. Oliver dropped the unconscious Enforcer, picked up his staff, and nodded to Harry to proceed.

Harry used metalbending to open the door to the tower and they walked in. Given the hour, there was only a skeleton crew working and with Harry's seismic sense they were able to swiftly move up to the top floor where the city wide broadcast equipment was without meeting a single person. Of course, there was someone in the room with the broadcast equipment who jumped when Harry walked in.

"Who the fuck are you?" The operator asked, clearly startled by Harry and Oliver's sudden arrival. "You aren't authorized to be here."

"I am the Avatar." Harry said calmly. "I am authorized to be here by the simple fact that the Fire Nation is out of balance and under the control of an illegitimate, ruthless, tyrant. I must do my duty to restore the nation to balance and bring the guilty to justice for their many crimes."

"Empress Hermione the Savior said you weren't here." The man stuttered out clearly in disbelief. "She said you hadn't come because you knew we were right and that only the Empress's enlightened laws were needed in the world. Also that the military cordon protecting our enlightened and equal nation could not be breached."

"She lied to you." Harry said gently before he briefly went into the Avatar State to prove his identity to the now terrified man. "I am here to restore balance to the Fire Nation and to end the tyranny of the illegitimate ruler who murdered the Firelord to take power. I have an announcement to make and if you don't want your name added to the list of conspirators to her tyranny that we will provide to Firelord Druzok once Hermione has been defeated, a charge that will carry a potential life sentence, then I suggest you set this up so I can address the city. Then I suggest you leave the Capital because if we fail, the cunt in power will execute you for treason. I also promise you that unless you have committed some actual crimes, we will not look for you when peace and balance has been restored to the Fire Nation."

"Of course." The man said going over to the equipment. "You, you, aren't going to murder me? Right?"

"Why would I do that?" Harry asked confused. "I only kill in self-defense and only when there is absolutely no other choice. Even then, I prefer to injure and capture alive my enemies then to kill them."

"But the Empress said you murdered any who stood against you." The man said with fear in his voice. "She said that you were a tyrant, a bigot, a racist and a bending purist who killed all those who didn't follow your bigoted and hateful views."

"Again, Hermione lied to you." Harry said with a sigh. "That is how propaganda, slander, lies, and defamation work. Most of it tends to be exaggerated truth at best, but in Hermione's case it has been outright lies. Now please, I am on a tight schedule and I would hate to miss it."

"Of course, Avatar." The man said as he flipped a switch causing a red light to blink into existence before he turned and ran from the room as fast as he could.

"Attention citizens of Royal Caldera City." Harry said as he sat down and began his announcement. "This is Avatar Harry and I have an announcement for Royal Caldera City. For the last few months I have been here, in the Fire Nation, working as the leader of the Liberation From Tyrants Movement to free those who have been oppressed by the tyrant who calls herself the Fire Empress of the Fire Utopia. The Fire Nation has been out of balance for 5 long years and I have come here to do my duty and free you from her tyranny. As I speak, my fellow rebels, who have amassed in the Capital, are getting into their final positions to begin our attack on the tyrants who rule this nation with an iron grip. They are waiting for my signal to strike but will not attack until I have no choice but to begin this battle. I urge all citizens to stay inside, seek shelter, and avoid the impending conflict for their own safety as I cannot guarantee your safety when the forces of good assault the forces of evil who hold power here."

Harry paused for breath and so that the people listening could hear his words and begin to seek shelter. After Harry had paused for long enough, he began speaking, this time to Hermione herself.

"I now address Hermione directly." Harry said as seriously as possible. "If you truly pride your skills, and are willing to back up your words with actions, come and face me in Freedom Square and end this now without bloodshed. Just you and me, leader verses leader, one on one, just as we fought during my firebending mastery test 6 years ago. If I win, you surrender to face justice for your crimes before a tribunal, and allow us to restore the Fire Nation to balance. If you win I shall surrender to you and face your own perverted view of justice without question. The ball is in your court Hermione. Face me and avoid the needless loss of life that a battle in the heart of the Fire Nation would have, or be a coward and allow others to fight and die for you as you force me to come after you and forcibly drag you from the throne in chains. The choice is yours and history will judge you for what you decide to do this night. This is Avatar Harry, out."

Harry turned off the system and looked at Oliver. He would give Hermione the chance to respond and accept his offer before he gave the signal to attack.

"Go and aid Katie and your men." Harry said with a grim expression that Oliver mirrored. "I do not expect Hermione to accept the challenge, so when you feel my signal, and trust me you will feel it, begin the attack."

"As you say Avatar." Oliver said bowing his head. "We are with you until the end, no matter the cost. Soon, we shall free the Fire Nation."

Once Oliver had left, Harry waited for a 15 minutes and when Hermione didn't respond to his offer, he sighed heavily. Harry had hoped that they wouldn't have to do this the hard way but alas Hermione was too concerned with her own safety and grip on power, than the lives of her own soldiers and the innocent civilians, who Harry would protect at all costs. Walking to the window Harry deftly jumped onto the still and then, using airbending, he propelled himself high into the air.

Once Harry was clear of the media tower, he used fire jets to guide himself to the nearby Freedom Square. From his altitude, Harry could see that the square was filled with Enforcers and soldiers likely sent there by Hermione to ambush and kill or capture him. Well they would be in for a rude awakening.

As soon as Harry was near the center of the square Harry extinguished his jets and dropped to the ground using a little airbending to speed his descent towards his native element. As he neared the ground next to the statue of Hermione that stood there, Harry cocked his fist back and began to build his earthbending power.

It was time to start the attack with an exclamation point as Harry landed and punched the earth with all his non-augmented power at the same time, that was his signal. The Battle of the Caldera had begun.

 **A little shorter than the last few chapters. The next chapter will be a lot longer though as it will deal with the Battle of the Caldera. There is no reason why the next chapter should be late and I will do all I can to get it out on time for y'all. That's all for this post chapter note, as always** ** ** ** ** **keep letting me know what you think of this story in the reviews and any questions asked in reviews or PMs to me will be answered at the start of next week's chapter when it is released, hopefully on time. Until next week.**********

 ** ** ** ** **Stringdog**********


	24. Chapter 24

**Here is the 24th chapter of Book 2. As the real world has caught up with me, there is a high chance that all chapters (though somehow not this one) for the next month or so are likely to be late as I have limited free time and most chapters end up with a lot of additions to flush out my drafts. Otherwise,** ** ** ** **nothing else to add here so sit back and enjoy the latest installment in Avatar: The Tale of Harry. Book 2: Equality.********

 ** ** **Disclaimer: As always I won nothing related to either of these two great works of fiction.******

 **Chapter 24**

As soon as Harry's fist hit the ground the earth erupted around him, creating a large crater in the center of Freedom Square and destroying the propaganda statue of Hermione in the process. Harry had made sure to use just enough power to avoid destroying any of the neighboring building but enough so that it was clear what had happened and he knew that it would be felt both in the palace and by his allies in the city. This was the signal to begin the attack.

Rising, Harry drew his swords and used his seismic sense to look around. The forces in the square at the time had been scattered to the winds, whether they were alive or dead Harry could not say, but they would converge on his position before he could leave the crater so he had to be prepared. As he rose, Harry heard the cries of battle and saw flames shoot into the air. The Battle of the Caldera, as it would become known as, had officially begun. It was time to liberate the Fire Nation.

* * *

Pyrites was wearing his hooded, sleeveless, vest with the hood up, a red shirt and black pants. He had grown used to the temporary getup though this time he did not have his sword and he was not hiding his Dark Mark. If he had to fight today, and he knew that he would be fighting in the battle, then he would do so as a Death Eater. He had to remind the filth what a trained and powerful Death Eater was capable of.

At the moment, Pyrites was standing outside the front door to his old mansion in the mansion district that surrounded the palace. He had a to reclaim it and pick up a specific item he wanted from inside that he was sure whichever mudblood bastard had claimed his mansion would not have moved.

As soon as Pyrites felt the rumble in the distance, he smiled. The Avatar had started the battle and it was time to reclaim his property. Walking to the door Pyrites raised his booted foot and slammed it into the door with enough force to blast it off its hinges. A powerful entrance to let those who had stolen his home that the owner was back and ready to kill them to retake it.

Striding in, Pyrites smelt a stench coming from his place, the stench of the inferior. One of the Chosen mudbloods had clearly been gifted the place after Hermione had taken power, which was better than it becoming a house for the poor at least, and the fucker had stunk his luxurious mansion up. Well that would have to change.

As Pyrites walked through the foyer and into the exquisitely decorated, though significantly less well maintained than it had been back when he had lived here, living room, Pyrites saw 5 people standing there as if expecting him. Four of them were clearly members of the blades based on their drawn weapons and their thuggish, uneducated, appearance. The last was a tall, slender man in dark blue camouflage fatigues clearly denoting the man as Chosen and a waterbender who hailed from the Southern Water Tribe if Pyrites had to guess, not that it would matter in the end.

"Who the fuck dares come into the mansion of one of the Empress's Chosen." The man said in a voice with a clear Southern Water Tribal accent. That confirmed Pyrites' theory as to the mudbloods origins.

"The mansion's rightful owner." Pyrites said coolly as he stopped and took up a loose, fighting, stance. "I'm here to reclaim it from whichever mudblood has stolen it from me."

"The rightful owner would be me." The Chosen growled back, hate burning in the man's eyes. "I was gifted this fine mansion by Her Majesty for my loyal service in the liberation of the Fire Utopia and for being one of the Chosen who protected her during our glorious revolution against the Firelord. From what I gathered it once belonged to a piece of shit Death Eater who's serving a life sentence somewhere away from the Fire Nation as Her Majesty couldn't find him when she took power and wanted to execute him. Death Eaters have no rights in the world, and as such no property, hence why it is mine. Only the Chosen can own property in the Empress' Fire Utopia."

"Well that Death Eater is back fuckers." Pyrites said showing the 5 men his Dark Mark. "And he is really pissed that some fucking mudblood peasant with ideas well above his station is stinking his home up."

"How did a racist and elitist piece of shit like you get out." One of the Blades snarled. "I thought all you Purists were either in prison or in the ground where you deserve to be."

"I made a deal with the devil." Pyrites said with a smirk. "Well no, the devil is the mudblood cunt that runs this nation so maybe a lesser demon, the Avatar. I get my freedom in exchange for helping him defeat a mutual enemy of ours, albeit an enemy for different reasons. So while he liberates, for lack of a better word, the Capital I shall reclaim my property and then aid him in killing all those who stand in his way. Y'all are just the first to be granted the sweet release of death by my hands."

"I don't think so." The Chosen said with a confident smirk. "No inferior pureblood can defeat a Chosen, we are the superior benders. Seize him boys, this wanker will make a lovely gift for the Empress, she has always wanted a Death Eater to punish for their many crimes. The Purists she executed weren't nearly as important as an actual Death Eater. Lord Pyrites, that's right, I know who's house this once was, on the other hand, well he's one step below Voldemort in my book. Take him in the name of Empress Hermione the Savior."

"With pleasure boss." The Blade leader said as he and his men began to advance on Pyrites, weapons drawn.

"You see this is where the Avatar in is nobility would offer you the chance to surrender and not die by his hand." Pyrites said as he rose to the balls of his feet and rolled his eyes at the irony of the mudblood claiming to be a superior bender and yet sending lackeys to try and capture him. "Me, on the other hand, well I am a fucking Death Eater after all so y'all ain't going to get such a warning from me, especially when dealing with a mudblood and four pieces of subhuman, nonbender, filth. You have taken my house and polluted it with your inferiority, for that you will die. Don't worry I'll make it look justified."

The Blade leader didn't bother replying just yelled a cry of attack and charged at Pyrites along with his men. Pyrites smiled, it had been years since he had been in a proper fight for his life as his position with Voldemort prevented that, time to see if his skills were still as sharp as ever. The first Blade, the leader, lunged at him with a stabbing motion that Pyrites easily sidestepped. Grabbing the man's arm he turned him around so that his body was between the spymaster and that of his next attacker.

The second Blade brought down a curved scimitar at Pyrites head. Pyrites ducked his head down so that the blade chopped into the head of the first Blade who had dared to attack him, deep enough to kill the man and embed into his skull. A sharp and impressive sword Pyrites noted.

Pyrites then poked two fingers around his now dead shield, and fired a bolt of lightning at the second attack. It caught the man squarely in the chest and sent him screaming back, leaving the scimitar in his fallen comrade, as his lifeless body hit an ornate bookshelf on the far wall causing it to collapse on top of his body. Pyrites kept his momentum as he quickly spun and threw the dead body of the leader at the 3rd attacker.

The man's sword entered his dead commander's back and he stumbled under the dead weight. They fell back in a tangle of limbs to the floor, temporarily taking that Blade out of the fight.

The last Blade lunged at Pyrites with his knife. Pyrites spun away from the clumsy attack before grabbing the man around the neck with his right arm in a complex reverse hold. With a smooth move he swept the man's legs from under him and as he was airborne Pyrites twisted his neck savagely breaking it with a sickening sound. The man's limp body spun horizontally in the air a few times before it thudded into the ground.

By this point the last surviving Blade had thrown the dead body off himself and was up and facing Pyrites, but it was already too late. Pyrites jabbed both fingers towards the man sending two simultaneous bolts of lightning directly into the Blade's chest. The force of the attack was enough to send him screaming back and through the nearby ball to land in a dead, smoking, heap in the other room.

Pyrites turned, barely breathing hard, to the waterbender and now sole surviving person loyal to Hermione. The Chosen had a look of surprise and hate on his face at how Pyrites had easily dispatched his men. Snarling with utter hatred, the waterbender sent a vicious water whip at Pyrites.

Pyrites was already running at him by this point and easily dodged it before landing a series of jabs to the man's side and back. He was one of the few Death Eaters who had bothered to learn chi blocking and only because of his actions as spymaster meant he had to masquerade as various identities so chi blocking had become part of several identities' self defense repertoire. Pyrites rarely used it as he saw it as demeaning to rely on a nonbending technique but for a mudblood and a traitor to bending, it was better than wasting his bending on someone so inferior to himself.

As the waterbender collapsed from the shock of the chi blocking Pyrites grabbed the man by the hair and held him up by it at waist height as the Chosen's body was temporarily limp. With his free hand Pyrites pulled one of the curved daggers that he had sheathed on his lower back and held it to the Chosen's exposed throat.

"I told you I would kill y'all." Pyrites said calmly, almost clinically as he pressed the razor sharp blade into the Chosen's neck. "I'm going to enjoy this immensly, it's been a while since I killed a mudblood and a traitor to the noble art of bending."

With a savage slash Pyrites used the razor sharp curve of the dagger to rip the Chosen's throat out. It was so deep the he almost decapitated the traitor. Pyrites stood there for a moment calmly as the arterial spray of blood exploded outwards and then he threw the dying man forward with a look of disgust at the mudblood.

As the Chosen choked out his last gasps of life Pyrites surveyed his now damaged living room. It would need a little cleaning but he could always hire some peasants for that, though he would have to pay extra to get wash out all the blood. However, Pyrites had reclaimed his house and barely broken a sweat that the exertion.

Smirking at his handiwork, Pyrites turned and headed to his private study where he had stashed the journals. There he went to a large wood display case and opened it, smiling that his pride and joy had not been touched.

Pyrites extracted the saber, the same type of blade as he had stashed in Fire Fountain City, from its display and pulled it out enough to confirm that the razor sharp platinum blade was still honed to a fine edge. It was a beauty of a sword with the platinum blade, pure gold hilt and guard and a large ruby set into the base. The handle and scabbard were made of the rarest ebony and were jet black, the handle was also wrapped in the highest quality leather for a perfect grip. It was a personal Piandao creation and priceless. He was glad that the one good thing the mudblood had done was keep it on display and not either use or sell it.

"Don't worry my dear, tonight you shall once again taste the blood of inferiors." Pyrites said with a smile as he unsheathed it, flourished it, then sheathed it again and attached it to his belt. Satisfied the spymaster left his mansion, he would return to it once the battle was over, the scum he had rounded up for the fight knew not to go near it.

Outside the sounds of battle raged and Pyrites reveled in the sounds. As the spymaster, he had seldom had a chance to fight but today he would do so and he would kill many inferiors who were loyal to Hermione. Turning towards the gates of the Palace, Pyrites began to run towards the sounds of battle.

On the way, two soldiers tried to stop him but Pyrites just cut them down with his saber in a fluid motion as he ran, not breaking stride once. As he neared Freedom Square, a place that he would have to traverse to reach the Palace, he saw a body fly into the air and land with a bone crushing thud a distance away. At least the Avatar had been busy and judging by the handful of dead and wounded Enforcers he had passed that looked like they had suffered wounds consistent with a fall, he guessed they had been foolish enough to be in the epicenter of the Avatar's opening attack.

As Pyrites neared the edge of the crater the Avatar had created, passing the broken remains of the statue of Hermione breaking the chains of tyranny, Pyrites could hear the sounds of a fight coming from the crater. Knowing that the Avatar was his key to freedom, Pyrites leapt into the crater without a second's thought and slid to the bottom as controlled as possible.

At the bottom the Avatar was surrounded by bodies, so many in fact that he had fallen over one as he cut down what looked like a soldier. A gleeful looking Enforcer, the last standing attacker, raised a truncheon to knock Harry out and thus claim glory by capturing the Avatar. Reaching instantly Pyrites slashed up with his sword and cut the man's arm off at the elbow. The Enforcer's scream alerted Harry who sent a rock into the now amputated Enforcer, lifting the screaming man into the air and out of the crater. His screams died shortly after his body disappeared from sight over the lip of the crater.

"You look like you could use a hand." Pyrites said, switching his sword to his off hand and extending his right hand to Harry. Harry dropped one of his swords and gripped his hand without hesitation before Pyrites hauled the Avatar to his feet.

"Thanks." Harry said with a curt nod before he picked up his sword from the messy ground of the crater. "As soon as I rose they were on me, the ones that I didn't scatter when I created this crater that is. I'm good with my blades and bending but I save the Avatar State for emergencies and their numbers were almost enough to overwhelm me."

"Well he should be the last one but more will come." Pyrites said. As he spoke Harry closed his eyes and nodded.

"More are on the way." The Avatar said before he opened his eyes at looked directly into Pyrites'. "Not enough time to get out of here. We have to stand and fight them, together."

* * *

Harry sighed as he told Pyrites of the impending second wave that was approaching them. This was not good. It would appear that they had underestimated the amount of forces that Hermione had amassed in the Capital, unless most had already been here before they had arrived and thus not factored into the battle plan.

"Can you bury these bodies before they arrive"? Pyrites asked as soon as Harry had finished elaborating his plan. "Don't want to have to haul your ass up again."

"Of course I can." Harry said giving Pyrites an incredulous at the question before opening the earth up to swallow the handful of bodies already in the crater. He hated the fact that he had been saved by Pyrites but he wouldn't forget it either.

"It's the Avatar!" A cruel voice yelled in triumph. "Surround him boys."

Harry looked up to see a man in a black Enforcers' uniform with gold epaulets denoting him as the Commissioner of the Enforcers if Harry's intel about the senior members of Hermione's government were correct. He was looking down at Harry with a triumphant smirk on his brutish face. Soon about 30 Enforcers and Blades were surrounding the crater all armed or ready to bend, and all looking gleeful at the chance to take down the Avatar.

"Surrender Avatar, you are surrounded and outnumbered." The Commissioner said with a smirk. "There is no way you can beat all of us. It's over. Surrender and perhaps the Empress will make your death a quick and painless one, but I doubt that given the crimes that you have committed against her enlightened utopia."

"I take it that your cowardly Empress won't show her face and show everyone that she really is better than me one on one, oh well, I expected no less from a coward." Harry called back. "And if you want to capture me, then come and get me fuckers, I'm right here and I will never surrender to a tyrant like Hermione the Cruel."

"Fuck you and your ignorant and intolerant words." The Commissioner yelled down, anger now contorting his face. "Get ready boys, we gots us a fighter."

"Will you stand by my side Pyrites." Harry said to the Death Eater by his side.

"Back to back Avatar." Pyrites said brandishing his blood coated sword and pressing his back to Harry's as they stood looking up at their enemies. "We stand together now."

"I never thought I would expose my back to a Death Eater and trust him to protect me in battle." Harry said with a chuckle over his shoulder to Pyrites.

"Neither I expected to stand with a blood traitor and the Avatar." Pyrites said and Harry could hear the smirk in his voice. "But I need you to stay alive and to be free in order to honor my deal, so our interests are aligned for the moment."

"I still hate and disagree with everything you stand for." Harry said bluntly.

"I wouldn't have it any other way Avatar." Pyrites replied.

"Last time you were outnumbered you fled." Harry pointed out. "How do I know you won't do so again now?"

"Last time I was facing down a pissed off Avatar and 4 of the best benders at the Academy." Pyrites retorted. "In the fucking rain if I recall and I am a firebender against at least 3 waterbenders. I had no chance. I made the wise decision to flee. Gotta protect my own ass remember."

"And now?" Harry asked remembering the confrontation they had had years ago.

"Well now I have the most powerful being in the universe protecting my ass so I feel like the odds are against our foes." Pyrites said with a laugh. "Plus we are facing a bunch of pathetic nonbenders and weak ass benders, they stand no chance against the Avatar and a pureblood of my skill level."

"Point." Harry said, ignoring the pureblood shit. "You sure you can use that saber, I've never seen a Death Eater us anything other than bending unless you count Macnair and his axe."

"I wouldn't, he only used that thing to deal the death blow and achieve climax from his killing, the sick fuck." Pyrites said before he gave an expert flourish with his saber using only his right hand that Harry noticed out of the corner of his eye. "But to answer your question Avatar, this one blade is probably more deadly in my one hand than those two in yours and I know how skilled you are with them. Remember I had a full intelligence report on written up the moment you were revealed to be the Avatar, including your nonbending skills."

"Very well, shall we get this slaughter started." Harry said with a sigh at the inevitable outcome of the upcoming fight. "I am presuming that these wankers will not surrender and rather fight to the death, which I will begrudgingly grant them in battle."

"That would be correct Avatar." Pyrites said with a smile that Harry could hear. "So let's have us some fun and show these fuckers not to mess with a pair of pissed off purebloods."

"As you say." Harry said, once again ignoring the blood reference before he called up to the commissioner. "Hey cocksucker, you going to be a little cowardly bitch like your Empress or are you going to come down here and fight me like a man."

"Feel free to bring your balls with you." Pyrites added with a laugh. "If you have to, makes no difference to me, y'all were dead the moment you arrived."

"Well come on." Harry shouted up. "Bring it bitches."

The Commissioner roared an attack order and the Enforcers and Blades attacked at once. What happened next would be something Harry and Pyrites would try to describe several times over the years and yet neither were quite certain that they could really explain the fight that took place in that crater that day other than that it was pure devastation and unity that neither had expected to experience in their lives.

"Brace yourself!" Harry yelled at Pyrites as the enemy approached.

"What!" Pyrites replied as Harry stomped the ground with his heel and earthbent it with enough force to lift Pyrites in the air. "Oh for fucks sake!"

Regardless of his reaction, Pyrites flowed with the move and shot a twisting spurt of flame from his feet while in midair that caught a charging Blade in the face, sending him screaming away in agony. As he did this, Pyrites back flipped and twisted in the air while at the same time Harry pivoted sending an arc of air from his foot they sent 3 of the attackers to the ground.

Pyrites landed behind Harry so that their staring positions were reversed and swung his sword in an expert slash that took the head off the attacking Enforcer. As the body fell Harry and Pyrites fell into a haze as the remaining enemies attacked them.

The pair slashed, dodged, ducked, weaved and parried with their blades while almost simultaneously bending at the attackers. Pyrites created an inferno around the pair as they pivoted to take advantage of their position and sent out blasts of fire from the inferno at any who dared to get near enough while Harry kicked up rocks to take down any near him that he could slash with his swords.

Neither knew how long the fight lasted but it had its moments that Harry would remember when he tried to describe the fight. These moments included when Pyrites when low and Harry barrel rolled over him sending a stream of rocks into the nearest foe, or when 3 tried to engage Pyrites and he cut them down with a flourish of skill that Harry had never seen before.

The closest they came to injury was a metal spike, send by a metalbending Enforcer, passed between the pair and cut off a few strands of Pyrites hair and caused his hood to fall off. The spike in question took an attacking Blade in the forehead.

After what seemed like hours, but was likely only minutes, the charging horde of enemies ended and Harry and Pyrites where left ankle deep in blood, bodies, gore, and shit in the crater while the moans of the wounded and dying surrounded them. It was impossible to tell how many they had taken out but both men were breathing heavily from the intense fight. Harry looked up and saw the Commissioner standing there a slack jawed look of horror and shock on his face that the numbers had failed.

"Surrender bitch." Harry called up smirking at the lack of confidence in the Commissioner's face now. "I think we can safely say that you ain't going to win this fight."

"Fuck you Avatar and fuck your tyranny." The Commissioner spat down. "The Empress will defeat you and I will be there to watch your slow and painful execution for your many crimes."

The cowardly Commissioner turned to flee, proving that he was cut from the same cloth as his mistress. Before Harry could curse the coward out there was a meaty, and slightly metallic, thunk followed by a low groan and the sound of bones being crushed.

As Harry was pondering this, the Commissioner's body was thrown over the lip of the crater and rolled down to join the others. It stopped near them and what was left of the tyrant's face was staring blankly up. Pyrites extricated himself from the mess and made his way over to the body as if the gore was nothing and bent over to examine the body.

"Well, my professional diagnosis is that this wanker has suffered from a case of a heavy metal object to the face resulting in death." Pyrites said as if he were commenting on an illness with a callousness that reminded Harry that the man was a Death Eater with absolutely no remorse, even if he hadn't fought that much due to his occupation. "Given the lack of indents I would have to say a war hammer of sorts, not a mace or flail."

"No shit." Harry said looking up as he saw Ron's war panted, and blood streaked, face poke over the lip of the crater his bloody hammer resting on his shoulder and a cocky grin on his face.

"Howdy y'all." Ron said as he looked down at them causing Pyrites to jump a bit, curse loudly, and look up with a fireball in his hand that he extinguished as soon as he saw Ron. "We were on our way to the Palace and saw a horde heading here. I assumed that you were here and might need a hand but it looks like you have it covered. That fucker was trying to run away so I had to take him out, didn't realize he was one of Hermione's main subordinates. Shame we couldn't take him alive but oh well. Er, did you two do this?"

"Yeah." Harry called back. "I know not the expected pairing but well if it wasn't for Pyrites I would have had to enter the Avatar State in order to survive."

"I assume the coast up there is clear." Pyrites said as he sheathed his sword after using the dead Commissioner's tunic to wipe it clean.

"Yup." Ron said with a nod. "Ginny is tending to Luna's wound while a few Green Brigade members guard them. Get up here and I'll fill you in on the situation."

Before Pyrites could respond Harry, after sheathing his own blades, raised his arm and caused the earth under the Death Eater to shift and launch the man out of the crater. He landed and rolled with a string of inventive expletives that Harry couldn't help but be impressed at. Harry followed him by jumping onto the side of the crater and using the earth to elevate him to next to Ron. Now Harry could survey what he had missed while stuck in a crater of his own making.

The city was on fire. Plumes of smoke and flames rose into the air from various locations throughout the Capital. The sounds of battle were evident but none of it sounded near them. Harry looked around and he saw a few of what he assumed where members of the Green Brigade given their eye wateringly green clothes standing protectively around Ginny. His fiancé had healing water out and was working on a prone form.

Harry ran over, shortly followed by Ron and Pyrites to find Luna, shirtless and completely unashamed by her exposed tits while Ginny worked on what looked like a deep wound in the girl's shoulder. There were a few other faint scars from minor wounds on Luna's arms and sides but the main focus was her shoulder that looked like it was still bleeding.

"What happened?" Harry asked.

"We joined the Green Brigade in their assault on the FUICEE headquarters shortly after you gave the signal to attack." Ron said as he swiveled his head to make sure that they were clear. "Neville was still there when we left but he should be coming to join us soon. We managed to set it alight, though we expect their records are protected in a vault below ground which we will need for the prosecutions of these criminals. We took care of several dozen agents that were trying to defend the place before reinforcements from the Enforcers and the military arrived and drove us back. We seriously underestimated Hermione's forces in the city, if we don't capture or kill her then we will have to flee or else we will lose. As we were retreating, a metalbender began to send spikes rapidly at us. Luna formed a large air bubble to deflect them but several got through ripping up her suit with one lodging deep in her shoulder."

"I'm fine." Luna called up cheerfully to them. "Ron you and Harry continue pushing towards the Palace, Ginny has me covered. Oh and Pyrites, if you keep ogling my tits I'll make sure they are the last that ever appeal to you."

"It's been a few years since I have seen tits and yours are pretty impressive, if a little small." Pyrites said as he looked away from Luna. "But I doubt you can turn me into a faggot."

"I know they are small and perky but I like them, and please don't use that language around me." Luna said bluntly. "I understand your right to use so I won't demand or force you to not use it but ask out of respect that you don't. Now while I cannot make you gay, I can remove your balls and I don't think you will want that at all."

"No mam." Pyrites said with a slight yelp.

"Harry, do as Luna says." Ginny called up not breaking from her focus on healing Luna. "I've got this and we will follow you to the palace. The wound is deep and complex and likely will require a lot of rehab to get her arm strength back up once I am done. Luna if you make any comment about jerking my brother off as a way to build up your arm strength while on your period I will personally knock you out before resuming my healing."

"I was going to say I blow him or take it up the ass during my time of the month but good idea thanks Ginny." Luna said sweetly.

"Not another word Luna." Ginny said firmly. "Well boys, what the fuck are you waiting for? They're just a set of tits and we are in the middle of a fucking battle here."

"Perfect, perky albeit a little small tits." Luna added helpful with a smile on her face.

"That's it." Ginny said returning her water to her water skin and removing her sleeves. One she tied around Luna's chest to cover her tits the other she used to gag the blond before she returned to her work.

"Best do as the lady says." Ron said turning to Harry and Pyrites. "She can be worse than mom."

"I heard that Ronald."

"Run." Ron said sprinting off towards the Palace.

Harry just turned to Pyrites and shrugged before he and the spymaster followed the Southern Prince. Their path to the Palace walls were thankfully uninterrupted, it appeared that most of Hermione's forces were elsewhere in the city.

As they approached, Harry saw Charlie and Hagrid on their dragons making strafing runs against the Palace's outer wall as they tried to burn away all the guards there while dodging the guards' arrows. Harry wasn't sure he saw it correctly but he was certain Hagrid was riding one handed while waving the largest war hammer he had ever seen in his other hand. As they neared the walls Harry didn't have any time to waste opening the door with his bending.

"Brace yourselves!" He yelled at his companions.

"Not again." Pyrites muttered next to him.

"What are you … fuck." Ron yelled as Harry shifted the earth and caused it to launch the trio into the air and over the wall and the staring faces of the guards on the wall, some of whom were promptly incinerated by the next strafing run of Charlie and his dragon.

Pyrites used his fire jets to slow himself as they landed while Harry created an earth slide to catch himself and Ron, which meant that they had to roll once they reached level ground. Soon the trio were standing in front of the entrance to the palace to find it blocked by a trio of red clad Chosen firebenders. Harry recognized all 3 from his time in the Fire House as Dean and brothers Colin and Dennis. So they had been spies for Hermione.

"Stand down Avatar." Dean said taking a step forward. "You have lost this battle, yield and I will do my best to ensure that you are not executed for your crimes. I am the leader of the Chosen, my word carries some weight with the Empress."

"Dean, we both know that I will never surrender and that Hermione will never let me live." Harry responded shaking his head at the Chosen. "I represent too much a threat to her tyranny and oppressive regime to live. Where is the coward? Why isn't she here to face me and end the bloodshed."

"She's safe and out of your murderous reach." Colin snarled at Harry, clearly he was one of the more indoctrinated Chosen. "We are here to stop you from killing the only Enlightened leader in the world, even if it costs us our lives."

"Oh it will cost you your lives mudblood." Pyrites said, a twisted grin on his face.

"You stand no hope against us or the Empress." Dean said bluntly. "Stand down and we can show you why the Fire Utopia is the most peaceful, the fairest, and the only truly equal and enlightened nation in the world. If you repent and confess your crimes, the Empress might not execute you."

"Look around you, you deluded idiots." Ron said angrily. "Look at the destruction that has occurred not only today, but the last few months while we have been inside the Fire Nation. Is what is happening here really peace? Is there really equality under Hermione? Is this really enlightened leadership? No. It's not. Just look at the last few years. Hermione had silenced any opposition by either killing or arresting them just because they disagree with her. There is no equality of opportunity here, no rights of free speech or thought because its either her way or the highway, which here is either prison or the ground. How is that equality or enlightenment? Any who oppose her are killed or worked to death in slave labor camps. She's the tyrant, not Iroh or Harry and deep down you know that I am speaking the truth. Hermione may have set out with noble intentions but lost her way and became the very thing she stood against. Stand down, please, we don't want to kill you."

"Speak for yourself." Pyrites interrupted still grinning. "I could use a few more mudbloods on my list of confirmed kills."

"Fine two of us don't want to kill you." Ron said with a sigh. "Our Death Eater er lackey, associate, helper, whatever the fuck he is doesn't share our own views on limiting casualties in war."

"Then stand down and surrender to us, that way we can eliminate casualties." Dean said calmly to them. "The military is coming to back us up, your escape paths are blocked and you will be crushed by our superior numbers and fighting abilities. You think Her Majesty hasn't planned for such an eventuality, she's enlightened and the smartest being on the planet, of course she has planned for this. The Empress knows that her protection and the enlightened views she provides us are the most valuable things in the Fire Utopia, that makes her protection the most import thing in the nation. As such there is a reserve garrison of 1,000 soldiers outside the city, not including the 2,500 we have here between the Enforcers, the Blades and the military that have come to the city to bolster our defenses in preparation for an attack from rebel scum like yourselves. You may be the Avatar, but can you really fight an army on your own, even in the Avatar State."

"Fuck." Harry said realizing how badly outnumbered they were. They had been outmaneuvered here and Hermione clearly knew it.

"Harry there is still time." Ron said glancing over to him. "We can hold them while you take out Hermione. If we cut off the head of the serpent, the body will die. Pyrites and I will willingly lay down our lives to buy you the time you need to end Hermione's."

"Speak for yourself." Pyrites muttered. "I'd rather not die thank you very much but I guess I don't have much of a choice now, do I?"

"No." Harry said firmly. "I will not let any of you die for me when we face impossible odds of winning. Even if I succeed, I will only create a power vacuum and more problems than solutions. No we take care of these three traitors and then get the fuck out of here and regroup. We need a new strategy to take the Capital, we underestimated Hermione's forces and we cannot defeat them at the current odds, not in an urban environment.""

"It is unwise to fight us, Avatar." Dean said shaking his head at Harry. "Two purebloods stand no chance against the Chosen but I know that you will not be persuaded otherwise. Dennis take down the son of the Southern Tyrant. Colin deal with whoever the fuck their tamed Death Eater is, Pyrites I think but that fucker was imprisoned for life years ago so it is probably one of the others who managed to avoid capture during the Battle of the Elemental Academy. Whoever he is, he is further proof that the Avatar is everything the Empress says he is, an intolerant, racist, bigoted, Purist asshole. I have always wanted to test my skills against the Avatar, let's see if he's as inferior as the Empress claims he is and we know that she is never wrong. That is if he doesn't cheat like he did against the Empress back at the Academy."

"Bring it you pieces of mudblood filth." Pyrites snarled showing real anger for the first time since Harry had met him and sending a shiver down his spine. He had seen how accomplished the man was at fighting and shuddered because Pyrites wouldn't hold back in this fight, Colin was almost certain to die if the three Chosen didn't back down right away.

"I'll show you what true pain is assholes." Pyrites continued, the hate evident in his words. "By the time I'm done with you, you will be begging me for the sweet release of death, which I will grant."

"Er Pyrites that would probably violate your parole." Harry pointed out. "And you know what happens if you violate it."

"Oh yeah true oh well this mudblood fucker is still dead." Pyrites said his anger abating at Harry's threat to send Pyrites back to prison for the rest of his life.

"Take them out." Dean ordered as he leapt forward and sent an intense jet of flame directly at Harry.

Harry propelled himself backwards on a spire of earth and as Ron and Pyrites began their attack. It was short, brutal, work for the two experienced warriors with Harry. Ron spun his right arm in a circular motion before he launched his hammer at Dennis, speeding it up and controlling it using its special water core. Dennis had sent out a spout of flame at it but the hammer cut clean through it like a knife through butter and slammed into the Chosen's chest, hurling him back and into the wall of the Palace. The Chosen slid to the ground and lay in a lifeless heap, dead or wounded, it was impossible to tell.

"What the fuck!" Colin yelled as he barely dodged a blast of lightning from Pyrites. "You are a fucking waterbender not a metalbender. Once I am done with this fucker, I'll kill you, you pathetic piece of tyrant spawn."

"I thought so too." Pyrites said as he easily avoided Colin's lightning attack. "I am assuming that you used a Sokka Schematic for that hammer. That fucker may have been a nonbender and therefore inferior, but fuck did he have an excellent mind and developed some useful tools for benders. I tried to persuade the Dark Lord to adapt a few but alas he wouldn't as Sokka was a nonbender so the Dark Lord wouldn't touch his shit, no matter how good it was and boy was it good. I own a few of his schematics and let me tell you, they are damn useful."

As he was speaking Pyrites had run in and dodged another bolt of lightning from Colin before he drew his saber and in the same motion slashed the Chosen from hip to shoulder. Colin staggered back a look of shock on his face as he began to bleed profusely. Pyrites finished the slash by sending a bolt of lightning that he had been building up from his off hand into Colin's chest. The boy was thrown back and slammed into the side of the Palace like a rag doll. Colin's broken, clearly dead, body fell from the wall and landed in a crumpled heap on the ground. He looked smaller in death.

Harry didn't have any more time to contemplate the fate of the brothers as Dean had charged past and continued to hurl as intense fire as he could create at Harry. Harry dodged as he backed up and knew he had to end this fight soon if they stood a chance of escaping.

As Dean punched another blast of fire at him, Harry he countered with a large rock he had stomped up and punched at Dean. The rock cut through the flame with ease and connected with Dean's right fist shattering it and splintering his forearm so badly that his bone burst through his skin in several places.

Dean howled in pain as he spun away but Harry was only just starting his earthbending sequence, one that had been drilled into his body from years of training that it was now second nature to Harry. Just as Dean turned to face Harry again, his ruined arm hanging limply by his side, a second rock connected with his left shoulder, breaking it with an audible crack and staggering the boy back. A third rock slammed into Dean's chest and sent him back, into the air. As his body bounced, Harry pulled up a large rock into the boy's path. Dean slammed into it so hard that Harry heard his back break on impact.

Dean lay there, slumped against the rock, his chest barely rising and falling, his arms useless by his side as blood began to dribble out of his mouth. The fight was definitively over.

As the dust settled Harry realized what had happened and ran over to the fallen Chosen. Dean may have been his enemy, but that didn't stop Harry from seeing if he could still save the Chosen leader. Dean had many crimes that he would have to pay for, Harry didn't want him escaping justice by dying.

"Ron go get the others and bring them here right now!" Harry ordered as he punched out as he was running to Dean and created a small hole in the perimeter wall. "Pyrites, signal Charlie that we need him down here as soon as fucking possible and then signal the others in the city to retreat and hide. We have lost this battle."

"They had better know Morse code." Pyrites said as he ran over to join Harry and raised his fist in the air. The spymaster repeated Harry's orders using spurts of flame into the air to transmit the retreat order using Morse Code, repeating it over and over again.

By this point Harry had reached Dean and summoned up his own rock to sit against as he looked over the severely wounded boy. Harry reached into his water skin to pull out water and heal Dean as best he could, even if he had to go into the Avatar State and use Korra's memories to do so, but before he could, Harry met Dean's eyes and stopped.

"Don't Avatar, there is no hope of saving me." Dean rasped, spitting out blood as he spoke, the words coming our strained and horse. "I'm a goner. My arms are useless, my ribs shattered and my back broken. It hurts too breath and I can feel my lungs slowly filling with blood so my broken ribs have probably punctured them. Not even the best healer in the world could prevent my impending death."

Harry opened his mouth to speak but Dean plowed on. Obviously, Harry was meant to listen and not interrupt Dean's dying declaration.

"Don't speak Harry for I am not long for the world and I must atone for my sins and I fear I may not have the time to do so. I do not blame you for my death for I was the fool who decided to challenge the Avatar thinking I was his equal in power, I know now that I am vastly inferior to you. When that third rock hit me, I saw my life flash before my eyes. I realized what I have done, the crimes and atrocities that I have committed or ordered, all because I believed it to be sanctioned by the teachings of a false and unenlightened prophet. I honestly believed her all of her bullshit Harry, it was so seductive and I served her as her willing spy at the Academy after she fled."

At this point Dean paused to let out a hacking coughed that spewed blood into the air. Harry waited patiently for Dean to stop coughing and start speaking again.

"Perhaps bringing Seamus back when I returned after the defeat of Voldemort and then feeding him vital information when I knew that he was the leader of the Green Brigade to keep him alive was my subconscious mind rebelling, but we may never know." Dean said taking a deep, rattling, breath as he continued. "What I do know now though is that you were right, you were always right. We have been tyrants. We set out with such lofty and noble goals to restore equality when I know realize that Iroh had already done so. I believed I was following an enlightened leader but in reality she is an unhinged, unstable, despot trying to cling to power, a power she never deserved to have to begin with."

Again Dean paused to cough up more blood from his damaged lungs. It must be agony for Dean to speak but Harry didn't stop him, the Chosen wanted to get this off his chest before he died and Harry wasn't going to stop him.

"Do not assign all the blame to Hermione." Dean continued when he was ready. "She was brainwashed so young by the true masterminds of the Fire Utopia, the Enlightened. Then, after Voldemort's return, Hermione felt that her actions have been the only way to preserve the laws that she sees as just, fair, enlightened, and necessary to protect equality. Her laws may be well intentioned, but they are poorly executed. She honestly believes that the ends justify the means and whatever happens now, in a decade everything will be perfect."

Dean pause and Harry thought that the boy might be done. However, the pause was so that Dean could spit out a large amount of blood before he continued.

"Harry, please tell my mother that I am sorry for leading her astray." Dean said looking Harry in the eyes and Harry could see pain and shame in the Chosen's eyes. "Tell her that I was wrong about everything and that she should end the blockade at once. Harry, she is the General in charge of it, Colin's father is her deputy and in command of the air blockade. Have Seamus tell my mother all that has transpired here today. Tell her of how Hermione sent her only son, along with countless others, to our deaths at the hands of the Avatar and how we were foolish to not surrender when offered the chance. Tell her it was because of Hermione's cowardice that her only bending child has died before his 21st birthday. Tell her I am sorry for all the crimes that I am guilty of and beg her to end the blockade. I know Seamus can persuade her of this, she knows and trusts him. If she defects, along with General Creevey, then the military in the blockade will follow them and turn on Hermione. With them, and the United Republic who will follow them in, Hermione will be powerless. The Fire Utopia will fall then."

Dean paused and took a labored breath. Harry knew that the Chosen was near death and that this would be Dean's final statement.

"Yes the Chosen fanatics will still fight and die to protect Hermione, but she will still fall by your hand." Dean said, the life slowly leaving his eyes as he spoke. "Hermione will not leave, her arrogance will keep her here no matter what the odds so you will be able to bring her to the justice she so richly deserves. Harry, in my left breast pocket is the frequency for my mother's personal radio on her flagship. Get it to Seamus, if he is still alive, and give him my instructions. Please Avatar, do this for me, this is my redemption, this is my atonement."

"I will." Harry said sadly when it became clear the Dean had finished talking forever.

The longer Dean had been speaking the more pained his voice had become but Harry had respected his former classmate's wish and let Dean say his peace. Letting out a rattling breath, Dean closed his eyes and breathed no more as his body went slack. The boy had used his last act on this earth to atone for what he had done as part of Hermione's tyrannical regime and if it worked, Harry would make sure the world knew of Dean's last act, of his redemption.

Harry didn't know how long he had been sitting there but it couldn't have been more than a few minutes. Slowly, he reached over and into the dead boy's left breast pocket. Harry felt something firm but smoot in the pocket and pulled out a laminated card with a radio frequency written on it.

Harry looked up to see Pyrites standing over them a cold look on his face as he watched Harry. Harry had to remind himself of the man's views to avoid sending a rock into his gut for not carrying about a dying man's attempt at redemption. Rising to his feet, Harry walked over to Pyrites.

"Did you hear all that?" Harry asked the Death Eater.

"I did." Pyrites said with a nod. "He has a point, if we can turn the military then we will turn the tide of this rebellion. Hermione can't win if both her own arm and the United Forces were to march into the Capital."

"Can I trust you to find Seamus and give him Dean's dying orders." Harry said looking the older man in the eye.

"You can trust that I will do everything I can to ensure my freedom, which means that you can trust me with this task." Pyrites said, giving Harry the honest truth of why the man helped him. "Though you also have to as you do have to flee or else you will be captured. Until Druzok is back on the throne, I am your bitch. If I want to be truly free, I will do it or die trying. Better to live free than die in chains if those chains are held by the mudblood bitch who has subject my nation to horrors that not even the Dark Lord would inflict upon a population."

"Then get to it." Harry said handing the card to Pyrites though not before he had memorized the frequency just in case Pyrites failed in his latest mission. "Find Seamus, make sure he is alive, and protect him while he persuades General Thomas to defect to our side."

"I will Avatar." Pyrites said as he began to move Harry called out.

"Pyrites." The man turned to look back at Harry. "Thank you, for everything you have done for us the last few months. I know we are not on the same side, nor do we share the same philosophies but we wouldn't be here without your aid and skills."

"As I have said Avatar." Pyrites replied with a knowing smirk. "Somethings can bring enemies together for a common goal and this is one."

Pyrites looked up and Harry followed his gaze to see Charlie and Norberta, a blue female dragon, descending to the courtyard. Harry's ride had arrived so Pyrites had one last bit of advice to give him.

"Now run, this war is not over yet."

With that Pyrites turned and ran towards the wall and through the hole in it. As soon as he was gone, Charlie landed Norberta next to Harry and leapt off in a fluid motion, brandishing a massive battle axe. The dragon stared at Harry with keen intellect but did nothing.

"Harry, I saw the messages Pyrites sent into the air." Charlie said running over to him. "I also saw the approaching soldiers. There are way too many to fight, even for you."

"I know, I have to get out of here but not without the others, they should be here soon." Harry said quickly. "What is the status of the Sun Warriors? Are they fleeing?"

"Hagrid has signaled a retreat to them." Charlie confirmed. "He will regroup with the survivors and return to our base to await your orders. I will join them once I have gotten you to safety."

"Ok, we may have a new lead that could drastically shift the balance of the war decisively in our favor." Harry said as he looked at Dean's body with a sad expression on his face. "I cannot explain now, but if it works our victory will be thanks to the last act of atonement by a dying Chosen. The leader of the Chosen no less."

Charlie turned to look at the dead Chosen's body and nodded at what Harry was getting at. Before he could speak, Harry heard a noise coming from the wall and turned to see Ginny and Neville sprinting towards them.

Behind them Ron was running with a bouncing and swearing Luna slung over his shoulder. A floating hammer sweeping side to side behind them keeping a horde of Blades and Enforcers at bay as they followed.

"Can Norberta take us all?" Harry asked as the others neared them.

"She can and then some." Charlie said with pride. "She's a motherfucking dragon. Y'all will have to hold on for dear life though."

"Left, right, no I said right, for fucks sake right, your other left, there we go." Harry heard Luna yell and realized she was directing Ron on where to swing the hammer. "Fuck I'm so going to puke all over your back soon. This isn't doing my shoulder any favors you know."

"We can deal with it later." Ron yelled back with a hint of irritation at his fiancé.

"Get on." Harry ordered as he ran past Ron and took a strong stance.

Harry punched the earth and created a channel of lava and sent it at the attacking enemies. The first row ran right into the attack and died with a sickening scream. Harry then used his lavabending to create as large a moat of lava as he could. Harry kept sending streams of the deadly liquid as he backed towards the waiting dragon.

"They're all on get up." Harry heard Charlie shout from above him.

Harry turned and saw that they were all in deed on the dragon's back. Using a touch of airbending he jumped and landed lightly on the majestic animal's back right behind Charlie and grabbed the man's waist. He felt Ginny grab him and knew that Luna was between Ginny and Ron and Neville was on the end.

"Hold on." Charlie said. "Norberta, up."

The dragon rose and Harry could feel the immense power of the beast as she rose high into the sky and couldn't help but scream in joy followed by a series of screams of terror and joy from his friend behind him. The sensation of flying on a dragon was nothing like flying on a bison, it was much more exhilarating and Harry was loving the rush of the wind in his hair.

Soon they were flying high enough to avoid any attack but low enough to see. Harry looked out and shuddered at the sight that met his eyes. The city was on fire in many places, whole blocks had been destroyed and bodies littered the streets clad in all different types of uniforms, or no uniform if they were a civilian. Harry hadn't seen destruction on this level since the Battle of the Elemental Academy 5 years ago and that was nowhere near as bad at what he was looking at.

Shaking his head at the needless destruction and death, and hoping that he would never see a sight as bad as Royal Caldera City after a pitched battle, Harry vowed to make Hermione pay for all that she had done in the last 5 years. If she hadn't have been a fucking coward and faced him, put action to her claims of superiority, the death and devastation of the Battle of the Caldera wouldn't have happened.

"Where to Harry?" Charlie called out as Norberta began to fly away from the burning city.

"East." Harry said as he made his mind up about where he needed to go. "We need to regroup and I need a place of spiritual energy to enter the spirit world to seek advice from Korra. Charlie, take us to Roku's Island."

 **This is one of the chapters I had planned out way back when I was still writing Book 1 (yes I knew where I wanted Book 2 to go as far back as chapter 5 of Book 1) and now it is finally published, on the actual set upload day no less. The main thing planned was the Dean scene, but overall this was one of the hardest chapters to write due to both that scene and the scene with Harry and Pyrites. I know that that scene will be controversial but it was needed and remember, Pyrites is not like the other Death Eaters and Purists, he can admit when his movement is dead and put his views aside to save his own ass. Anyway, I will be late in the coming weeks due to real life but this story is less than 2 months from completion. That's all for this post chapter note. A** ** **s always** ** ** ** ** **keep letting me know what you think of this story in the reviews and any questions asked in reviews or PMs to me will be answered at the start of next week's chapter, whenever it is released. Until next week.************

 ** ** ** ** ** **Stringdog************


	25. Chapter 25

**Here is the 25th chapter of Book 2, for once on time. This is a Spirit World chapter (I have planned at least one foray into the Spirit World in each Book in this series) so it is a bit of a filler chapter but important for understanding the direction of the last part of Book 2. N** ** ** ** ** **othing else important to add here so sit back and enjoy the latest installment in Avatar: The Tale of Harry. Book 2: Equality.**********

 ** ** **Disclaimer: As always I own nothing related to either of these two great works of fiction.******

 **Chapter 25**

Charlie's dragon Norberta flew gracefully through the air as they flew east to Roku's Island about 100 miles away from the Capital but just far enough from the blockade to not be noticed. With defeat in the Battle of the Caldera and capture imminent, Team Avatar had been forced to flee and abandon their attempt to take down Hermione. Harry, while understanding why he had to flee, was not happy with it, especially given how many would be captured and killed because of their failure.

However Harry knew the the battle had not been in vain. With a last dying act of redemption, the leader of the Chosen and a former classmate of Harry's, Dean, had provided Harry with the information he needed to turn the tide of this war once and for all and end Hermione's tyranny over the Fire Nation. He just hoped that Pyrites could find Seamus and get him to safety in time.

Despite their combined weight, they made good progress to the island. The dragon could fly faster than an air bison and it only took a few hours to reach the ash covered island that had once been the abode of Avatar Roku. After his death 12 years before the Air Nomad Genocide, the far flung island was never resettled given the devastation of the volcanic eruption that occurred here centuries ago, and the potential of another devastating eruption at any time.

Harry had always respected Roku and what the man had stood for during his time as Avatar. Roku was the only Avatar in the last millennia to stand against his homeland and prevent Sozin's first attempt to colonize the Earth Kingdom. Alas his death was the first incident down the path that culminated in the 100 year war, the second had been Sozin's Comet that enabled the Firelord to wipe out the Air Nomads, with the exception of the Avatar, and officially begin the worst war in history.

At last the dragon reached the island and put them down on the volcanic ash fields the island was known for. They quickly got off the dragon, some like Harry and Ginny gracefully, while Neville proceeded to face plant the earth and Ron staggered only to be flattened when his fiancé deliberately landed on him and rolled over with a hiss of pain from her injured shoulder.

They all stood quickly so that they could look up at Charlie better. Once they were standing, Charlie reached into one of the satchels on his saddle and threw a small bag to Ginny which she caught with ease.

"The weather here warm so shelter and warmth at night shouldn't be a problem, though Harry can easily earthbend a shelter if you need it, but the only food available here is in the sea." Charlie said from atop the dragon. "Though Ron and Ginny should be able to handle that given the practice we had growing up in the South. Ginny, that is my emergency fishing supplies for when I am traveling to uninhabited islands. It's has all you need to gut, clean, de-bone, and prepare almost any small or medium sized fish. Harry, what is the plan you said that a Chosen gave you with his dying breath?"

"A genius one that only he could give me." Harry called up. "Just before he died, Dean saw the error of his ways and the crimes he had committed while following Hermione's orders and philosophies. He wanted to atone for his sins before his death and so he gave us a potential ace, that if it pans out we will win this war and bring the cunt to justice."

Harry proceed tell them of Dean's dying declaration, revelation and desire to atone for his crimes. He told them of the Chosen's plan and how he had been forced to entrust it to Pyrites as the Death Eater was the only other person present at the time. He also told them of his and Pyrites stand together as best he could, that memory was hazy as the fight in the crater had been more instinct than anything else.

"Sometimes when on is on the brink of death, one can realize the error of their ways." Ron said once Harry was done. "I am not thrilled about having to trust Pyrites with it but he knows it is our best shot at victory and a man with his preservation skills would take it. We can always trust Pyrites desire to live free, even if we cannot trust the man himself. Seamus was still alive when we left the FUICEE headquarters to find you, he was regrouping and retreating at the time but he is a skilled fighter, he should be fine."

"Let's hope so." Harry said. "But I have a backup plan on the off chance that Pyrites fails. As you taught us, best to be prepared, just in case plan A doesn't work."

"We got lucky that Dean, Colin and Dennis happened to be the ones Hermione sent to be the first line of defense." Ginny said. "They are all highly connected to the military and what Hermione did was send them to their deaths to save her own ass, their parents won't be happy with that."

"Perhaps, or it could be fate." Harry said. "The world works in strange ways at times."

"I think it has more to do with the fact that the 3 of them had been die hard loyalists to her and stayed with her through everything so she likely felt that they were the best she had." Ron said simply. "They were also all Chosen and we know how much stock Hermione puts in her Chosen."

"Well I need to get back to the Sun Warriors." Charlie said, reminding them that he and his dragon were still there. "I will pass this onto Hagrid and let him know of the current plan and lie low until we hear anything new. We will keep a lookout but after this fight both of us will be joining y'all on the most wanted list, an upgrade from the wanted list we were on before the battle."

"Well there is now no doubt that the Avatar is here." Neville said. "Not after Harry's declaration. I don't doubt that Hermione will exploit this victory and your flight for all she's worth but it will likely backfire given her blatant display of cowardice when offered the chance to prevent any bloodshed."

"True." Charlie agreed. "Despite your forced flight, the whole city heard your broadcast and know that the death and destruction that was wrought upon their homes last night was not your fault. The will know that you gave Hermione every chance to end this without bloodshed but she chose not to respond and, well, you saw the result. Wanton death and destruction in the very heart of the Fire Nation. They will not forgive her for this. The civil unrest will be great and Hermione's expected brutal crackdown will make everything worse for her. Plus the military will have heard it, even at the blockade as the announcement system is tied to the one there, and it is hard for soldiers to respect a cowardly leader. General Thomas will know her son died needlessly because of Hermione's cowardice. We may have lost the battle, but we will win the war."

"We know why she didn't fight but still it's disgusting that she would sacrifice her own citizens, supporters, and soldiers when she could have saved them by accepting Harry's offer." Ginny said with anger in her voice. "Especially given how she claims that Harry is inferior to her in every way shape or form."

"Well they know now." Harry said as Charlie called a farewell and took off. Soon he was a speck in the distance as he traveled back to the mainland.

"Don't beat yourself up over this Harry." Ginny said taking his hand.

"Yeah, you did everything you could to avoid it." Ron said with a nod. "It was Hermione's cowardice that lead to this fucking disaster and her paranoia at losing power which is why she had so many soldiers in the Capital to protect her. She's completely lost it now and the people have seen it. They know that she is vulnerable, if we can swing the military to our side then Hermione and the Fire Utopia are done."

"I couldn't agree more." Harry said before sighing heavily at all that had happened. "As much as I hate what happened and feel for those who died needlessly last night, I know that I cannot blame myself for their deaths. Any civilians who died during the battle will be added to the list of deaths that Hermione and her supporters will pay for when we bring them to justice. As to her mental state, we all know that Hermione has convinced herself that she is always right and that her views are the only way for the world to think and operate. As such, she needs to suppress anything that is against her lest she lose that power. After last night Hermione is going to be desperate as she is losing her grip and as much as that plays to our advantage, she's also cornered and when she thinks she has no way out she will do anything to retain her power. This is when she is most vulnerable and when she is most dangerous."

"I think part of the problem is that she has never really spent any time with people of differing views." Neville said and when they all looked at him he continued. "My gran told me growing up to expose myself to all views and to find my own path in this world. She said that I had to get to know those of other cultures and beliefs so I would be able to understand where they came from and know how they thought and why they held their particular beliefs. That way you could find a compromise or at least understand their point even if you disagree with it and as such can come up with your own, well rounded, views. She said it would help me for when I joined the Fire Assembly after graduating from the Elemental Academy. If you cannot put yourself in another's shoes and see where they are coming from on issue, be it logical or illogical, when they oppose your views on it then you shouldn't comment on the issue as you are just going to come off as an arrogant, intolerant small minded fool."

"Your grandmother is a wise woman Neville." Ron said with respect in his voice. "Hermione has been in an echo chamber all her life and that has only enforced her views and her belief that she is right while ensuring that she doesn't understand any side but her own. It was a recipe for disaster, a disaster that we are now paying for."

"One should never self segregate oneself and their group of followers." Luna said. "We all have other friends who are different and make sure we know people from both sides of the political spectrum but alas the extremes are always the loudest, the most fanatical and the ones willing to use force to get their views across. We see them above anyone else and they make all those on their side look bad by association. If we can address the extremes civilly then perhaps we can avoid ending up in this situation in the future. I doubt that though, the more one group bullies others, the others are forced to self segregate and that leads to the same circle jerk. However, enough about politics. What is your backup plan Harry?"

"Well I said I needed to go into the Spirit World didn't I." Harry said with a smile as his team all looked at him. "So that is my plan. I will initially see if Korra can provide any insight but she couldn't before and I doubt she can again but it doesn't hurt to ask her. The threat of Hermione is something the world has never truly seen given how she has turned her oppression inwards and on her own people rather than outwards the way Sozin, Unalaq, and Kuvira did. The main reason why I need to go to the Spirit World is that I intend to find some spirit to take a message for me to Jinora. I will pass my info onto her and have her contact Admiral Williamson of the United Forces so that he can make sure that the United Forces are in position. I'll make sure she knows of Dean's atonement and that she needs to figure out how to contact his mother just in case Seamus can't get through to General Thomas."

"Sounds like a good plan but we also need to begin to prepare now for what will be at least a few days, if not weeks, here." Ron said as he began to strategize. "So Ginny and I will go hunting now. It's been a while since I did the old waterbending fishing experience but we both should be able to catch plenty in the nearby waters. Luna, I will try to find vegetarian options but the sea isn't a fan of that so what you get won't be great."

"Thank you Ron." Luna said with a smile at her fiance. "While you are down there, Neville and I will clean all of our clothes as best we can. Speaking of which, y'all are going to get well acquainted with my tits over the next few days, though still not at Ron's level, as I literally have no top and Ginny's improvised breast wrap won't last. At least I can get a good tan on them."

"Luna, you burn almost as bad as Ginny and me do." Ron pointed out. "But until we find clothes, you can wear my top if you would like."

"Nah I'm not modest and beside y'all have already seen them." Luna said, shaking her chest for emphasis. "Thank you for the chivalrous offer but I have as much right as you to be shirtless and I will endeavor to exercise that right while I can. Though don't be modest Ron, I still want to stare at your sculpted chest while we are here. Sorry I lost your other sleeve Ginny you won't be able to cover your tats while we are here, but I had to spit it out to help Ron fend off our pursuers in the Capital."

"It's ok Luna it's not like I am ashamed to show off my ink, the sleeves are just part of my style and my way to pay homage to Avatar Korra." Ginny said with a smile at her best friend. "Of course I never thought I would be engaged to her reincarnation but such is life. Anyway I will be keeping my top on. I'm all for those who want to free the nipple, but I am not one of those girls."

"Well if this is all, I am going to clean the clothes now so as to get away from this conversation." Neville said as he began to scan the area for where there might be a clean place to wash their clothes. "Ron, Harry if you could bring me the girls' clothes I will clean them as well I can but Luna may have to clean them herself as I have no idea what I am doing."

"I may keep the bottom half of my glider suit on for the moment." Luna said. "Until I clean them. I am not wearing any panties as they cause streamlining problems and while I have no problem showing off my tits, going full nude and flashing my bald cunt for all may be a little too far."

"Thank you Luna for sharing what we all did not want to know." Harry said as he took his vest off and passed it to Neville. "Now I will need some protection while I am in the Spirit World just in case Hermione managed to track us here. Luna you can take the first watch."

"Will do." Luna said trying to salute and wincing at the pain in her shoulder. Harry looked at her wound for the first time, he had been trying very hard not to look at Luna given her lack of clothing on top, and grimaced at the ragged scar on Luna's shoulder.

"Luna you need to begin doing some basic shoulder exercises before trying anything to strenuous with your right arm." Ginny said as she glanced over at Luna's injury. "Normally I would put it in a sling for now but there isn't much to use for that so just avoid using it too much as you may cause more damage and I cannot heal that damage unless we are in a hospital. We were lucky that you didn't break anything but that was a barbed piece of metal that caught you and the damage was extensive. I healed it but there is still a lot of rehab to do to get your arm strength back to what it was before."

"Very well." Luna said with a nod. "You are the healer so I will listen to you. I will avoid using it while we are here, even if Ron might not like that I cannot use it at night."

"Well if that is all settled then we still have work to do." Harry said, ignoring Luna as usual whenever his friend got way to blunt for his liking. "This isn't a vacation team, let's get to work."

The others laughed at Harry's words and hurried off to start the tasks that they had been assigned. Neville to clean their clothes the best he could, Ron and Ginny to get food for the later and Luna to apparently lie on her back and tan her naked chest now that she had removed Ginny's sleeve at some point since getting here.

Harry shook his head at his airbending friend, she may be odd but she would be alert and protect him while he was in the Spirit World, and assumed the lotus position. It took him a moment of breathing to clear his mind but in short order he felt his spirit leave his body and knew instantly that he was in the Spirit World before he opened his eyes.

Harry opened his eyes to find that he was on a grassy plain at the foot of a mountain. He hadn't been to the Spirit World often but he knew where he was at once, Hai-Riyo Peak, or more accurately at the base of the mountain. Looking around, Harry saw a small tea shop and house nearby and if he wasn't at least vaguely familiar with the Spirit World he would have found it odd but he had heard of Iroh's tea shop and headed straight for it.

He had never met Zuko's uncle and the last Firelord's namesake but Harry knew that Iroh had transcended into the Spirit World long ago when his time to pass on had come. Iroh was not the first to do so, the Painted Lady had done it long before him, but few had done so. Harry knew Jinora intended to transcend to the Spirit World when it was her time and that Zaheer had done so after decades in prison but that was about it.

As Harry neared the tea shop, he noticed a grouping of spirits at a large table set in front of the tea shop. At the head of the table sat a short, tubby man with a long gray beard and matching hair, save for no mustache and a large bald spot on his head.

Harry smiled as he recognized the first General Iroh from the pictures he had seen of the old man who should have been the Firelord had it not been for his younger brother's treachery and greed. Iroh was the man who had ensured that the trend of violence in the Fire Nation Royal Family ended by being the true father figure to Zuko and ensuring his nephew's redemption just before the end of the 100 year war.

"Ah my friends, we are greeted today by a very special guest." Iroh said in his low, calming, voice causing the various spirits, Harry couldn't even begin to describe them, to look over at Harry. "Avatar Harry welcome to my humble abode, it is really an honor to have the Avatar himself here. Please, sit, join us, we were just about to have some tea and cakes. Don't worry, you can't get fat in the Spirit World because spirit calories don't count, I was just like this before I transcended to this plain of existence when my time came."

"Thank you Iroh and it is a pleasure to meet you but I came here to look for Korra and a spirit willing to take a message for me." Harry said bowing respectfully to Iroh. "I do not know if I can stay."

"Avatar, in my many years both on earth and here, I have discovered that you do not know what you truly seek when you enter the Spirit World but what you need will find you if you let it." Iroh said gesturing to a chair near him. "Did you expect to learn of Voldemort's past when you first came here and finally embraced your spiritual side."

"No I was seeking to unlock my spiritual side." Harry said with a smile at the old man. "But yes Korra was waiting for me and showed me my enemy's past. It helped me end Voledmort's evil once and for all. I shall defer to you wisdom Iroh and join y'all."

Harry walked over the last few paces and sat at an open spot at the table, right between two strange spirits that were both gawking at him for some reason. As soon as Harry was seated, a two headed frog-like spirit pushed a slice of cake on him and Iroh passed him a cup of what smelled like jasmine tea. Harry sipped the tea and then smiled and drank deeper, well as deep as he could given the temperature. Iroh had been famous for being the best tea master in last few 100 years and it wasn't an exaggeration.

"I see you enjoy my tea." Iroh said with a kind smile at him. "It is good to see that in a person."

"Normally I don't drink tea, I have just heard tale of your talents but I never expected to enjoy it firsthand." Harry said as he put down his cup.

"Well at least you enjoy it." Iroh said with a chuckle as he looked up and his smile broadened. "Harry, I do believe that your request has come true. I told you to let the Spirit World deliver did I not."

Harry looked up and followed Iroh's gaze and smiled too. Walking across the plain, a dragon bird spirit strutting proudly behind them, was Avatar Korra hand in hand with a beautiful, tall, and slender woman with jet black hair and wearing a red outfit that looked both elegant and practical at the same time. Harry had only met her once and that was when she was much older but Harry knew at once that the other woman was Asami. She had gone with a younger version of herself as Korra had done after her death.

"Avatar Korra, Asami, it is an honor to see you again." Harry said rising and bowing to the couple. "I am sorry I was unable to see you before you passed on Asami, there was a lot going on at the time that I didn't even know that you were ill until your death."

"It is ok Harry, Voldemort had created a mess that was worse than any in our heyday, other than the whole spirit vines problem." Asami said smiling as she and Korra joined the table and they all sat down again. "I expected that you would do your job first, I was just an old remnant of a time long past. It is good to see you again."

"I must admit I am a little surprised to see that you transcended into the Spirit World upon your death." Harry admitted. "I didn't get that you had a strong connection with the spirits from what I know of your time."

"My wife and the love of my life was the Avatar." Asami said with a smile at Korra. "So I would say that she provided a strong connection to the Spirit World for. Besides, this was where we had our first date, well trip is more accurate, and where we shared our first kiss, so it has always been a special place for us. I knew that I wanted to be with Korra forever and so when I died my spirit sought her out and here we are."

"I missed Asami the 15 years between our deaths, even if mine wasn't a natural death." Korra said with a slight wince at the memory of her slow poisoning following her duel with Voldemort. "So it was nice to be with her again and to see your success with Voldemort but we have already discussed that. There is much more to the Spirit World than you can imagine but now is not the time to discus the nuances of the Spirit World and the Avatar's connection to it. For now, I presume you have something you need, so here I am. Thank you Iroh for inviting us to tea again by the way, it is always a pleasure to see you."

Harry looked at the old general and couldn't help but shake his head. He had heard of the man's intuition and was amazed it was still active, even after becoming a spirit.

"Korra you and Asami are always welcome at my shop and my home." Iroh said looking at the couple with a kind eye. "But alas we have no time for pleasantries and catch ups, that can wait. Right now I believe Harry needs some advice, or at least aid from the only past life he is connected to once again."

As Iroh was speaking he poured the couple some tea, and then topped Harry's cup up before all eyes turned expectantly to Harry. As quickly as he could, but keeping in all the necessary details, Harry told them of his time in the Fire Nation, the actions he had had to take over the last few months, his failed attempt on Hermione and his plans going forward. When he was done he waited for the trio to speak.

"Well... that is something." Korra said after the three spirits had a moment to digest the information. "As I said before, I never dealt with a with an enemy quite like Hermione. The threat she poses to her own nation was nothing I ever really encountered, most of my enemies were global threats or insurrectionists, Hermione is an active, albeit illegitimate, world leader who's evil is directed at those she rules rather than those she seeks to rule."

"Hermione appears to be a mix of Amon and Kuvira, from what I have learned about her." Asami said after a moment's thought. "She wants equality like Amon though for him the equality was a world without bending, for Hermione it is more a world without elites or a class system and yet she has created an elite class in the Chosen and a middle class in her other supporters. Similarly, Hermione clearly wants what she thinks is best for her people but in the process she lost her way and became a tyrant and has done horrible things to maintain her power, peace, and stability, just as Kuvira did during the brief Earth Empire."

"I, for one, like the plan going forward." Iroh said as he finished off his cup of tea. "Yes, you made a mistake attacking Hermione directly last night without fully verifying her forces, but all Avatars have made mistakes. Aang failed during the invasion on the Day of Black Sun, Korra failed to prevent Kuvira from taking Zaofu, and many more times that I will not go into, so it happens."

"Yes Harry, don't let this get you down." Korra said kindly. "And I agree, Hermione is a coward who should have shown her people she was willing to fight from the front and not sacrifice their lives needlessly when she could have avoided the bloodshed had she been a strong leader. One of the things I respected about Kuvira was that she did lead by example and willingly fought me one on one rather then send a horde at me in hopes of overwhelming me. True she won our first fight because I was still weak from my fight with Zaheer, but her victory galvanized her supporters behind her cause and made her even harder to defeat in the end. All Hermione has done is prove that she cares more for her own neck than those of her citizens, that is not what a good leader does. If you can get the military on your side, you will win but you know that, just as with Voldemort, you will have to face her in combat to officially end her reign of terror."

"I know, I will have to drag her kicking, screaming and in chains from the Palace to face justice." Harry said with a sigh. "She will never surrender peacefully. Thank you for your council, now I just need to speak to Jinora or at least a trusted representative from the United Republic to tell the plan as well, just in case Seamus has fallen in the recent battle."

"Tell me what Avatar?" A voice asked from behind Harry causing him to jump and fall off his stool, causing the whole table to laugh at him. Harry got up, brushed himself off, and turned to see a smiling Jinora standing there. "Hello Iroh, Korra, Asami, as always a pleasure to see you all."

"Jinora, what are you doing here?" Harry asked slightly confused to see the form High Chair of the Elemental Academy and Leader of the Air Nation behind him. "I was going to ask a spirit if they would be nice enough to get you for me."

"One already did while you were telling your tale." Jinora said with a small laugh. "The spirits are really resourceful if you are friends with them. I came as soon as I heard and so here I am. What do you need me to do? I assume it has something to go with the Fire Nation, the naval vessel that monitors the blockade from a safe distance just reported in that there appears to be a lot of smoke coming from the direction of the Capital, enough that the ship's captain can see it from his position. In hindsight, we should have set a routinely time for you to update me here, but I assume you have been busy."

"What does the rest of the world know?" Harry asked. "Cos a lot has happened in the last few hours that have changed a lot."

"Only that Hermione is convinced we unenlightened leaders are trying to subvert her legitimate and enlightened rule and restore tyranny to the Fire Nation and that it will never prevail, that the Fire Utopia and its values of equality and enlightenment will never fall." Jinora said with a shrug. "Nothing new really."

"So the usual bullshit." Harry said with a sigh.

"Exactly."

"Well we just tried to take her down and failed." Harry said before telling Jinora the story of his mission up to this point, a repeating of his story for everyone else present.

"Well that is interesting, I shall pass it onto President Shacklebolt and he will disseminate it to the people so they know the truth as it comes from you." Jinora said once Harry was done briefing her on his mission up to this point. "But your plan Harry. What is it?"

"I need you, or President Shacklebolt if he believes me, to contact Admiral Williamson, the commanding officer of the United Forces." Harry said quickly. "Have him bring the 1st Fleet, complete with the United Army and the United Air Force to the blockade and wait just out of striking distance, where the observation ship usually is. Tell him that if he does not hear from General Thomas, the commander of the Fire Utopia blockade, within a fortnight to pass this message on via whatever channels he has to contact her. Have him tell her that her son Dean, the leader of the Chosen and therefore a key lieutenant to Hermione, was killed in the Battle of the Caldera and that before he died he, Dean realized that he was in the wrong, that he had made many mistakes and committed crimes in Hermione's name over the years. Dean knew that he did wrong while serving Hermione and he wants his mother to know the truth of Hermione, the reason for his death, and that the Fire Utopia is not what it is billed as. Also that General Creevey, her deputy and the commander of the air blockade, definitely lost his eldest son, possibly both of his sons, in the same fight. Dean wants his mother to know that the military should defect and side with the United Republic so that Hermione's largest force is no longer on her side, shifting the war irrevocably in our favor. Hopefully General Thomas understands that she has to contact Admiral Williamson to sort this out. This is only to happen if she has not contacted the Admiral within 2 weeks of this meeting. Have him use a specific frequency, it is her personal one for her and her son, so it should be proof of Dean's redemption. Hopefully Seamus is still alive and Pyrites got to him out of the Capital because Seamus would have a better chance."

"I will pass this on, though while I understand the situation has forced you to trust Pyrites, I for one don't like the fact that we have to put our faith in a Death Eater and spymaster but so be it." Jinora said with a nod as Harry handed her a copy of the frequency he had written down from memory. "Thank you Harry, I know you have been through a lot on this mission and that a lot of bloodshed could have been avoided in the last few months but alas some people care more for themselves than others. They will pay for their crimes. I will make sure that all the dignitaries are on Admiral Williamson's flagship and that they come and pick you up on Roku's Island, if we can end the blockade that is."

As she spoke Jinora slowly began to fade and left them as she finished speaking. Harry knew his time in the Spirit World was also coming to an end so he rose and bowed to Iroh, Korra and Asami.

"Thank you for your council and advice, but the physical world calls me." Harry said with respect for the three venerable spirits who had just advised him. "There is still much to do to restore balance to the Fire Nation."

"Of course Harry." Korra said with a smile. "It is our job to do so."

"Just make sure that justice for my nephew's grandson is met appropriately and that Zuko's legacy is restored." Iroh said seriously. "Zuko worked too hard to reinvent the Fire Nation after the damage done by Sozin, Azulon and Ozai for it to all be destroyed by a power hungry, crazy girl in 5 short years. I have fought and experienced Azula and I would say Hermione gives her a run for her money in the unstable department, though Azula snapped at the end and had to be institutionalized while I don't think Hermione will fully snap when she is defeated."

"I will restore the legacy that you set into motion Iroh." Harry said with a final nod to them before he assumed the lotus position on the ground next to the table and closed his eyes. A moment later he felt his spirit return to his body on Roku's Island.

Opening his eyes Harry saw that night had fallen while he had been gone. Ron and Ginny were busy cleaning and preparing the fish and what looked like a few sea cucumbers for Luna while Neville tended a fire and Luna sat by it stretching her injured shoulder and wincing in pain at it.

Harry smiled, he would tell them all that had happened in the Spirit World over dinner but first he look west towards the Capital. He hoped that Pyrites had succeeded in saving Seamus and that they were in contact with General Thomas. Victory could hinge on their success. Soon they would know if the military had defected, soon this war could finally be over.

 **For once the chapter was relatively short and uploaded on time, don't expect next week's chapter to be on time. The next chapter will obviously deal with Pyrites's side mission as the path to the culmination of Book 2 continues. That's all for this post chapter note. A** ** **s always** ** ** ** ** **keep letting me know what you think of this story in the reviews and any questions asked in reviews or PMs to me will be answered at the start of next week's chapter, whenever it is released. Until next week.************

 ** ** ** ** ** **Stringdog************


	26. Chapter 26

**Here is the 26th chapter of Book 2. Once again this is actually on time, though that will likely change going forward.** **N** ** ** ** ** **othing else important to add here so sit back and enjoy the latest installment in Avatar: The Tale of Harry. Book 2: Equality.**********

 ** ** ** ** **Disclaimer:********** ** ** **As always I own nothing related to either of these two great works of fiction.******

 **Chapter 26**

Pyrite ran through the streets of the Capital as fast as he could towards the sounds of the continuing battle. Hermione's reinforcements were en route and already the rebels were fleeing, this battle was lost and they all knew it. They had set up escape tunnels just in case of a defeat so Pyrites knew that many would succeed in getting out rather than getting caught.

As Pyrites ran, he passed scenes of death and destruction that he had not seen since Voldemort's failure to invade the United Republic 20 years ago that had led to Korra's death. Bodies clad in green, gold, red, black and the street clothes of the Blades lay strewn across the streets, along with the bodies of civilians, throughout the city. Pyrites smiled, he knew that the death and destruction of the day would harm Hermione's standing in the nation as she had been given the chance to face Harry one on one and prevent the bloodshed and yet she had chosen to cower in the palace. They may have lost the battle today, but they had turned the tide in the war. Hermione's cowardice had ensured that her days as Fire Empress were numbered.

Voldemort may have sent his minions to do his bidding at times but if he was ever attacked, something that never happened, Pyrites knew that his former master would have met the threat head on. The Dark Lord would also lead from the front whenever he engaged in battle, another thing that Hermione didn't do. Then again, Voldemort was a bloodbender of a caliber that put even Amon to shame while Hermione was a firebender who wasn't a touch on Pyrites, let alone the two best firebenders in history, Ozai or Azula, who she claimed to be better than.

It took Pyrites a moment to find the Green Brigade, or at least those who had rallied to Seamus. They had been forced back from the FUICEE headquarters that they had destroyed and were now on the outskirts of the city by the sewage disposal center. They had been backed up against the caldera wall, it looked like they were getting ready for a final stand.

Pyrites could see that Seamus alive and fighting from the front as he and 20 or so of his rebels were pushed back by a force of 50ish loyalists. The Green Brigade was a better fighting force, but they were clearly outnumbered and Pyrites knew that they wouldn't win this fight.

The bulk of the forces that the Green Brigade was facing were Enforcers but a good number of Blades were disbursed amongst them, along with a few suited FUICEE agents. They were between Pyrites and Seamus and they hadn't noticed the spymaster approaching them from behind. Smiling the Death Eater drew his saber, The Purifier as he called her, and charged. Pyrites had no qualms cutting down a foe from behind.

Sending out a bolt of lightning into the back of the nearest enemy, Pyrites ran into the thick of the fight, a sadistic smirk gracing his lips. Swinging his sword with an expert arm, he cut down 10 men before any had realized he had attacked them. By the time they did, Pyrites had bisected an Enforcer and pushed through them to stand by Seamus's side. The Death Eater was drenched in blood but he didn't care, he had a mission to accomplish and he would see it through to the end.

"Pyrites?" Seamus said as he ducked a truncheon aimed as his head and responded with a stab of his ceithearn, a long sword common in Celt, to the Enforcer's gut. "I am surprised to see you here."

"The Avatar sent me to find you and get your ass out of here." Pyrites said as he stood next to the rebel leader, noticing that Seamus was uninjured but covered in as much blood as Pyrites was. The man had fought hard, pyrites could respect that. "You did see my retreat order from Harry right?"

"I did." Seamus said with a curt nod. "But if you haven't noticed, we've got this group of bastards on our asses. They've pinned us here and we can't get out. best to take as many of the fuckers with us as we can but I am not expecting to survive tonight."

Pyrites looked at the horde that had decided to hold back after the recent thinning of their numbers, a path of destruction that Pyrites could clearly see and feel proud about. Pyrites used the brief moment's rest bit to look over his shoulder at the sewage plant and the open pipe that pumped the waste out of the city and into a reservoir on the other side of the caldera.

An idea came to the spymaster, not the most pleasant one but drastic times called for drastic measures. However before he could speak, a gruff, cruel, voice came from the horde.

"Hey wanker." It said and Pyrites looked to the voice. "Yeah, you, you fucking cocksucker. Who the fuck do you think you are? We are here happily slaughtering these fucking traitors, terrorist and rebels and you come here and kill my men and expect these cunts to flee from our justice. You got another thing coming for you, asshole."

Pyrites looked and saw a large, muscular, bald thug step out of the crowd with an arrogant swagger to his gait. He had a pair of crossed knives tattooed on his face and a collection of other bladed weapons tattooed all over his chest and arms. All the thug wore was a pair of bloodstained black pants, showing off his muscular and blood splattered chest. He carried two tiger hook swords that were both dripping with blood. The others backed off, giving the man a wide berth.

"You talking to me cue ball?" Pyrites said stepping forward into the space between the two forces. "Let me guess you are some sort of leader to these fucking Blades and fellow inferior nonbenders who dare to challenge me."

"Aye, I am Razor, the leader of the Blades." The thug said with a twisted smirk. It was a fact that Pyrites already knew but he wasn't going to give this asshole the satisfaction of knowing who he was. "I am the one who founded us to show the Purist cunts that we nonbenders are the true superiors to the fucking benders. We make sure that the Empress's enemies are ended, permanently, as well as taking out any Purists we see fit. Given your sword, and clear skill in using it, we could use a man of your talents in my organization. I am more than willing to ignore the death you have caused today, in fact I admire a man so callous as to strike his enemy when they aren't looking, if you come over to the right side and help me kill these rebels."

"Ha, you must think I'm stupid to lower myself to serving a filthy nonbender and a commoner at that." Pyrites said with a laugh exposing his forearm so that they could all see the Dark Mark bloodbent into it. "I am a Death Eater, a Purist and a noble. In sum, I am your superior and your better you fucking gorilla goat. I am Lord Pyrites, the spymaster to Voldemort and one of the richest men to have ever lived. I fought alongside my master during the Purity War to put inferior pieces of shit like you into your rightful place, beneath our boots."

"Lord Pyrites?" Razor asked, clearly surprised to run into a Death Eater wielding a sword and siding with forces loyal to the Avatar in the middle of a battle in the Fire Nation Capital. "I thought that you were killed or captured towards the end of the war, that was the reports I got at least."

"Well I'm back bitch." Pyrites said with a grin. "The Avatar realized who I was and had me outed and arrested almost 6 years ago. I made a deal with him that brought down the Dark Lord's information network, my own baby that I sold out for my own protection and the chance of freedom in the future. I knew that fuckers like you would side with a mudblood who promised you the strength and power you craved but had been rightly denied."

"Fuck you, you Purist piece of shit." Razor snarled flexing his muscles but not attacking. Pyrites knew that they were baiting each other so he continued taunting the fucker with his story.

"So when the Avatar needed to take down your mistress he came to me and offered me the chance to earn my parole by helping to smuggle him into the Fire Nation and taking out the cunt who runs it, well I couldn't say no now could I?" Pyrites continued, his smirk deepening as he gloated. "All you see today is my handiwork. It was I who unified the rebel factions and smuggled them into the city. It was I who brought the revolution to the doors of the palace before we were forced to flee once the numbers were against us. I have no problem with the bloodshed that your cowardly leader has allowed to be shed tonight, but I'm not sure the people will like it. I have already had to sell my soul for freedom, but it was a price I willingly paid for freedom so no I will not lower my dignity to serve an inferior cunt like you. I will enjoy adding you to my lengthy kill list."

"A Death Eater I had heard that one was still free, even if your freedom is because of the evil Avatar." Razor snarled, the anger almost boiling over, a state that Pyrites wanted the fucker in. "Proof that he is all that the Empress says he is. Very well, I shall enjoy adding your head to my trophy collection. I know you assholes don't fight with a blade, y'all prefer to rely on your bending so I will teach you how a nonbender fights."

"Bring it bitch." Pyrites said as he took another step forward and flourished his sword in an expert sequence that came from years of practice. "It would be an insult to bending to use it to kill a subhuman like yourself. Ron has already had the pleasure of killing the Commissioner of the Enforcers, while all I have had, in terms of high value kills, is two Chosen. It will give me extreme pleasure to cut you down with my blade. So come on fucker, you and me, one on one, right in front of our respective forces. That is unless you are as much a coward as the mudblood you serve."

"Fuck you, wanker." Razor bellowed as the rage Pyrites had been fueling reached a boiling point. "Stand back men, this cunt is all mine. I will show you how we make a pureblood our little bitch. Let's see how pure your blood really is, shall we, cunt."

As soon as he had finished speaking, Razor charged, wielding the hook swords in an expert and practiced manor at Pyrites. Pyrites instantly went on the defensive and began to block all the blows that rained down upon him, relying on instinct and skill to avoid being killed by an experienced fighter. The man was clearly skilled, but his was all attack and no finesse, no true form that was taught to the nobility. That allowed Pyrites to easily counter Razor's heavy blows as he waited for the opening he wanted so that he could end the fight with lethal force.

That opening came when his opponent tried the old two sword strike after Pyrites had retreated a few paces to give himself a little room. Razor interlocked the hooks and swung the elongated weapon at Pyrites, who was back in Razor's range.

The Death Eater timed his leap to perfection and landed on the hilt of the second blade that had been aimed at his ankles and pulled his foot back sharply. The attack caused Razor to stumble forward and as he staggered forward, Pyrites stabbed his saber up and into the man's throat. The blade erupted out the back of Razor's neck as his body went slack immediately. There was no doubt that the leader of the Blades had just been killed by Pyrites' blade.

Pyrites quickly withdrew his sword and sheathed it in one fluid motion, knowing that he would have to clean it later as the leader of the Blade's body pitched forward to the ground, blood pooling around it. Looking at the stunned horde of enemies Pyrites extended his arms and created a huge wall of fire as hot as he could manage to block Hermione's forces from the Green Brigade.

"Do you trust me?" He shouted at Seamus. They had seconds before the firebenders started to take down the fire wall he had erected but Pyrites unmatched control would give them the time that they needed to escape.

"Not at all." Seamus replied still a little stunned by the quick, brutal fight that he had witnessed.

"Good." Pyrites said as he turned and ran at the Leprechaun, tackling the stunned leader backwards and into the open sewage pipe that they had been pressed up against.

The pair fell through the air before landing with a splash in the filthy water. A series of splashed behind him told him that the other survivors had followed them into the water. It was their only way out so none had any hesitation using it.

"Fuck you Pyrites." Seamus yelled as he surfaced and vomited into the sewage.

"Had to get us out alive and this was the only way. I will explain more when we are away from the Capital." Pyrites called back as the water swept them out of the capital, downwards through the side of the volcano, and spat them out on the other side of the caldera.

The survivors fell down the rapid water and into a reservoir at the base of the caldera that was used to collect the Capital's waste. It wasn't a pleasant or clean right, but it got them out of the Capital in one piece and that was the goal.

Dawn had just began to break as Pyrites and Seamus swam to the side of the filthy reservoir as fast as their weary bodies would allow it. At the far end was a treatment plant that was used to recycle the water but it was too far to see Pyrites and the handful of Green Brigade members with him.

"We have to make sure all my men are ok." Seamus said once they were out of the water. The rebel leader then proceeded to jump back into the water and swam to aid his fellow rebels.

"Fuck I hate helping others." Pyrites mumbled as he too jumped into the water and swamp his bruised and battered body to aid Seamus in getting the wounded survivors out.

Of the 20 rebels Pyrites had seen when he had reached them, 2 had died from the ordeal, likely drowned due to their wounds and the sewage. 4 more were likely badly infected from the mixture of excrement and open wounds and were in need of immediate treatment.

Fortunately there was a waterbender with them who was able to purify the water and heal those who needed it, at least heal them enough to stabilize them. Once the healer confirmed that everyone would live, Pyrites turned to an angry looking Seamus.

"Sorry but I needed to get you out alive." Pyrites said as he walked over to Seamus as the latter helped lay out the body of one of the two fallen rebels. "The Avatar ordered me to get you out alive at all costs as you may be in a unique position to sway this war irrevocably in our favor."

The anger seemed to leave Seamus a little at Pyrites' words. Clearly the man was tired of all the fighting and death he had seen, Pyrites couldn't sympathize but he couldn't blame Seamus either as he knew that Seamus had now survived the two largest battles in the last half century. Pyrites knew that Seamus would grasp at anything that would end the bloodshed once and for all.

"Very well, I know that my surviving men and women will find their own way out, a place to hide, or will take as many of Hermione's forces with them as they can if they cannot leave." Seamus said with a sigh. "We will not surrender to Hermione's torture and execution, we will die before that happens. What does the Avatar want of me?"

"You said you were close with a Chosen called Dean." Pyrites said bluntly. "Apparently he is the leader of the Chosen, I can respect the high level contact you manipulated."

"Yeah, he was my best friend both growing up and at the Academy." Seamus said giving Pyrites a slightly wary look before continuing. "His mother and my father where both nonbenders and Generals who served together until the coup when Dean and his mother revealed their true colors as Hermione loyalists. His mother took over the entire armed forces and was stationed on the flagship of the naval blockade to ensure that Hermione's new nation wasn't invaded. Fortunately my da, and ma cos she was with him, were in the United Republic at the time due to the Voldemort Threat and therefore they weren't killed in the internal coup that happened to the military. I haven't seen them in 4 years. I persuaded Dean that I was in his side and had him get me back into the Fire Nation with him when he went back following the Battle of the Elemental Academy. I did so because I knew that I could use him to work on a secret rebellion, I was in a unique position to help and I couldn't sit by and let my nation suffer while I wasn't here. Why?"

"Are your still close with his mother?" Pyrites asked once Seamus was finished, the man clearly had the chops to be an intelligence officer but Pyrites knew that Seamus would never willingly go into that line of work.

"Yes we used to talk every few months in the Capital when she had shore leave and Dean would invite me to stay with them in his mansion and catch up with his family as he thought I had disowned my own family in favor of the Fire Utopia." Seamus admitted with a shrug. "My parents have always been loyal to the Firelords, and was a vocal critic of Hermione while they have been in exile, so I had to disown them to survive. Again, I ask why."

"Dean is dead." Pyrites said without emotion but he noticed a flicker of sadness affect Seamus at the news that his best friend, and secret enemy, had been killed in the battle. "He foolishly tried to take on the Avatar in single combat and lost. However before he died, Dean had a moment of redemption. That is why I had to get you out alive."

Pyrites proceeded to tell Seamus what Dean had told Harry about his realization and his desire for Seamus to contact his mother and get her to defect from Hermione. The army would follow her given her position. With them Hermione would have lost her largest fighting and defensive force. There would be nothing stopping them from taking the Capital and ending Hermione's reign of terror.

When he was done, Pyrites noticed Seamus nodding at it with a sad look on his face and a tear in his eye. Pyrites wasn't the emotional type, he hated crying, but he could at least understand it from a human perspective. Seamus had lost a close friend, one who had effectively betrayed Seamus when he joined with Hermione but who had also redeemed himself in the end. It was not wonder that Seamus was saddened by the news of Dean's death.

"Do you have the frequency?" Seamus asked and Pyrites nodded as he pulled out the laminated card from an inside pocket and handed it to Seamus.

"We should probably get cleaned up and find some equipment to transmit the information." Pyrites said looking out and at the treatment plant. He really needed to get clean and clean his blade, it was covered in the blood of inferiors.

"Agreed." Seamus said also looking at the treatment plant. "Very well, let us go and commandeer that civilian facility. It is early enough for them to only have the night crew there and given its proximity to the Capital and importance, it will have the necessary equipment to contact the blockade. No killing unless we absolutely have too."

"Very well." Pyrites said as he, Seamus and the others began to head to the treatment plant. Pyrites didn't mind killing but he wasn't a monster, he could refrain from it if he had to.

"Thank you Pyrites." Seamus said as they walked. "I know it is hard for you to work with us but you have shown time and time again that you are willing to aid us despite our continued lack of trust in you."

"I'm only doing this for the freedom I have been promised." Pyrites said simply. "Y'all are right to not trust me. I want to be free and while I will never agree with Druzok's politics, I prefer him to Hermione and to my mountaintop cell. That is what you can trust that. Once this shit is done, I intend to retire somewhere nice and warm to live out my life in luxury. Voldemort lost, the Purist Movement is long dead and I can accept that. There is no place for me in the world anymore and as a man of practicality, I know that it is time for me to call it quits. I have seen the rise and success of Voldemort, I have been caught, imprisoned and betrayed my own all for my own ass. A betrayal that led to Voldemort's fall. It has come time for me to fade into the annals of history, and mark my words, I will be remembered for generations to come. All this once we take the mudblood cunt down that is."

"Yes well let's hope this works." Seamus said as they neared the treatment center and prepared to storm it with the last vestiges of their strength. "Cos I want this shit over as much as you do."

In the end, they didn't have to fight to take it. The few janitors and guards still working there all surrendered without a fight. They had heard the news of the Avatar's announcement and that Hermione had refused his offer to avoid the ensuing battle. They were unwilling to fight against those who were supported by the Avatar.

Hermione's cowardice and the deaths that had occurred because of it had caused many who had heard Harry's announcement, at least those in the area surrounding the Capital, to turn against her and side with the Avatar. Harry's presence in the Fire Nation had boasted the hopes of the citizens for freedom from Hermione's tyranny and oppression. Pyrites knew that this would happen as soon as Hermione refused to fight, now all they had to do was get the military on their side and the nation was theirs.

Once they were all cleaned and ready, a necessary delay after their recent swim, the head guard took them to the radio station in the facility and left Pyrites and Seamus alone with it. Seamus pulled out the card and adjusted the frequency on the radio until it matched the one on the card and sighed. The radio was powerful enough to reach the flagship, the only thing to do now was hope that the frequency was correct.

"Now to see if Dean was right." Seamus said as he turned the radio on and picked up the receiver. "Attention! Attention! This is Seamus, son of General Finnegan and his noble wife Lady Finnegan. I am the leader of the Green Brigade and I am trying to contact General Thomas on the flagship Defender of Equality using a special frequency provided by her only son, Dean. I have a message for her from him."

"Seamus?" A slightly tired female voice asked from the radio's speaker. "How did you get this frequency, only Dean has it. This is my personal frequency connected to the radio in my personal quarters, you shouldn't have it. What happened and since when have you been leading a rebel group opposed to the Empress?"

"Please General, I need you to hear me out and not leave or report this to anyone yet." Seamus said, a note of insistence in his voice. "I have a message for you from Dean, after I deliver it I will answer your questions."

"Alright I will give you that curtsy." General Thomas said after a moment's pause, the tiredness no longer in her voice. "But first tell me how long have you been leading the Green Brigade? That is an answer I need right away."

"Since shortly after your son brought me back to the Fire Nation." Seamus admitted. "I am sorry I used him and you to oppose Hermione, but you and my mother were once close friends and I couldn't let our nation suffer under the tyranny that Hermione was subjecting it to. I lived in the Fire House with Hermione and I knew she was trouble from the start. I always feared what would happen if she got power, especially after she tried to kill the Avatar so I had to do something. I couldn't sit by and let my home nation be destroyed by one of her own citizens, not right after Voldemort was defeated. Again I am sorry for deceiving you."

"Well I won't lie, I do feel betrayed by your actions." The General said and Pyrites could hear the hurt in the woman's voice. "But I can understand them given your parents. Perhaps I always knew that you were working against the Empress but didn't care because you and Dean were so close and it made me happy that he has such a good friend in you. Very well, what happened and why do you have this frequency?"

"General did you hear the Avatar's announcement a few hours ago?" Seamus asked in response.

"I did." She replied. "I was a little surprised that he got through our blockade but he is the Avatar so no doubt he found a way."

Pyrites smirked at that. Seamus gave him a dirty look but returned to the speaker as General Thomas continued.

"I however do believe that it was him who issued the challenge as his voice matched the samples we have on file. Did Empress Hermione the Savior respond? Is the Avatar dead? Captured? What happened""

"You have not heard?" Seamus asked clearly surprised.

"My orders are to maintain the blockade at all costs and preserve equality and the enlightened laws of the Fire Utopia from the unenlightened nations who would wish to invade and restore tyranny to the Fire Utopia." General Thomas answered with the clear discipline of a seasoned military officer. "We are not informed on the goings on in the Crucible of Enlightenment. That is the preview of the Chief of Staff of the Enlightened Army, General Towler holds that role. I may be the Chairwoman of the Joint Chiefs but my main role is preserving the blockade, not protecting the Capital."

"Well as expected Hermione never responded but rather chose to hide in the Palace and call in the military stationed in the area, the Enforcers, the FUICEE and the Blades to protect her from us." Seamus said with anger in his voice. "The result was the worst battle on Fire Nation soil in our history. You must have noticed the high amount of military being called into the Capital over the last few weeks."

"I have and while it is odd I do not question the orders of the Empress." General Thomas replied. "A good soldier followers the orders of her Commander in Chief."

"Well the reason why the military was recalled was because the Avatar is in the Fire Nation with the intend to remove Hermione from power and restore balance to the Fire Nation." Seamus said. "Hermione was protecting herself form losing that power. The Avatar gave her the chance to avoid bloodshed by facing him in single combat but she declined like the coward that she is and a battle ensued in the Capital."

"I struggle to imagine our Empress as a coward." General Thomas said by Pyrites could hear a note of worry and doubt in her voice. Obviously the General had a few subconscious reservations about Hermione, that was good as it would make it easier for them to swing the General to their side. "She has been so vocal about being the best firebender in history and how she is better than the Avatar and that he cheated to defeat her. I doubt that she would pass up the opportunity to prove that and avoid needless bloodshed."

"I watched that test, so did Dean, and we know that Harry did not cheat." Seamus said bluntly. "But that is a topic for another day. No General, I am calling because I know you must have on some level realized by now, but it is my sad duty to inform you that your son was one of the many casualties that fell in the battle. General, I am sorry to inform you and in such an impersonal manner but your son Dean died a few hours ago."

"NO." The General screamed at Seamus's words as sobs began to come through the speaker.

Pyrites could tell that the rebel wasn't pleased with having to be so harsh but he respected it. The General needed to know who was responsible for her son's death. Only then could she be persuaded to defect and help them bring down Hermione once and for all.

"He is one of the many victims of Hermione's cowardice." Seamus continued, a slight hitch to his voice now. "Dean, my best friend despite our differences, would not have perished if Hermione had accepted the Avatar's offer of single combat. However, the bitch preferred to hide and protect herself under her own misguided views that she and she alone can lead the Fire Nation because she is the only enlightened person in the nation, which we both know she is not. Hermione sacrificed your son, and countless others, including civilians who died in the crossfire, all because she wanted to preserve her own ass and the laws she believes to be enlightened and created equality. Hermione refused to fight the Avatar one on one and the Capital paid dearly for that decision."

"How, how did he die?" General Thomas asked when she had regained her composure, though there was still a hiccup in her voice.

"I can only comment on what I have been told by one of the witnesses who managed to breach the wall around the Palace towards the end of the battle." Seamus said. "So I cannot confirm anything beyond what has been told to me by a reliable source. Dean, along with General Creevey's boys Colin and Dennis, were the first line of Chosen sent by Hermione to protect here as they were her most trusted and senior Chosen. There they ran into Avatar Harry, his right hand and best friend Prince Ron, and their temporary ally, the former Lord and convicted Death Eater, Pyrites. The latter is the who is the one who smuggled them into the Fire Nation and united the rebel groups as an act of redemption for his prior activities. I have no idea what was said between the two trios, but I can only presume that the Avatar offered them the chance to surrender, that is his way, and they declined preferring to do their duty and protect the Empress from who they perceived to be evil. Only one of the three they faced could be called evil."

"Dean and the others may have been Chosen but even they cannot stand against the Avatar." The General said. She had regained her military composure but Pyrites had a feeling that her training was the only thing holding the woman together at the moment. "None of them would have stood a chance against Avatar Harry in a fair fight."

"No they didn't." Seamus agreed. "From what I have heard, Colin was also killed and the status of Dennis is as of yet unknown but he was definitely wounded in the fight. Dean was the one who decided to fight the Avatar one on one. He was easily defeated."

"My poor, brave and yet so foolish boy." General Thomas said with noticeable sadness. "Did he suffer? The Avatar didn't torture my boy, did he? I struggle to believe the Empress when she says that the Avatar would do something like that but I have to ask."

"Pyrites, who was the one who killed Colin and saved me, said that Dean died from the wounds he suffered at the Avatar's hand." Seamus said sadly. "But I know the Avatar, and Harry will always feel bad for having killed Dean but your son gave him no choice. The Avatar did not torture him, but Dean apparently died in pain, refusing medical treatment. Instead, he used his dying breath to relay a final message to you."

"I, I understand." The General replied after a moment. "I am a soldier, Seamus, I know the nature and price of war. I assumed that my son must have a message for me if he provided this frequency to the Avatar, I just didn't expect him to sacrifice his life to relay it. It saddens me to know that he died in pain but I do not hold the Avatar to blame for his death. Dean knew the risks of engaging someone of the Avatar's power in battle, Harry was just doing his job. If anything, I blame Hermione for it. Had she accepted the Avatar's challenge as you described it, my boy and the relatives of many of the soldiers in the blockade, be it sons, daughters, mothers, fathers, etc. would not have died to protect a vein and insecure girl who is willing to sacrifice people's lives to preserve her hold on power."

"You are right General, Dean left the Avatar with a message for you." Seamus said into the receiver. "He asked that I be the one to deliver it if I survived the battle as I know you best. Dean apparently claimed that this frequency would be proof of his words and actions as he wouldn't have given it up unless it was of the utmost importance. Dean was my best friend, regardless of his views, and I know that he would never have given this up unless he felt he had too."

"By using this frequency I believe that my boy has died because of Hermione's cowardice and we can now see the smoke from our ships so we know a battle took place." The General responded after a pause that Pyrites assumed was the General looking out of a window and towards the Capital. "I expect an announcement from Hermione about this soon, and I will listen and see if she is lying. However what is my son's message to me?"

"He says that he is sorry for all that he has done, for all the crimes that he has committed in Hermione's name." Seamus began with a sad sigh. "Dean appears to have had a revelation, as he was dying, of all the evil that he has done on Hermione's orders and he wished to atone for his crimes. He acknowledged that the Avatar was right, that Hermione and the Chosen had been tyrants, oppressors and therefore the very thing that they had set out to destroy. Dean realized that he had been led astray by what he called a false prophet."

"Yes I am seeing that now." General Thomas interrupted. "Sorry, please continue Seamus."

"It's ok." Seamus replied. "This is hard for me as well. Anyway, Dean thought he was doing the right thing but now he knows, well knew, that Iroh wasn't the tyrant Hermione made him out to be. In fact, we were more equal under him than we have been under Hermione. As Dean died, he saw Hermione for the unstable, power mad, insane, despot that she really is. He doesn't blame her entirely for what she has done, but rather those who brainwashed her into following the path that she followed. Hermione seduced Dean because of Voldemort and because of how her message resonated with him as a first generation bender."

"I can see that." General Thomas said. "Dean was thrilled when he learned he was a bender despite me nor his sisters being benders but the system that had been in place regarding purity was tough. It is no wonder that once Dean was on his own, in a different nation, and exposed to someone as charismatic as Hermione that he would fall under her influence. He was the one who persuaded me to follow Hermione, though it wasn't hard to get me on board given the discrimination I faced as a nonbender in the military. It seems he has realized something even I had not."

"I do not know how Hermione got to Dean because he kept it from me until Hermione's coup but yes, in the end Dean realized his mistake." Seamus said. "Dean died knowing that he had committed crimes that he would never forgive himself of, let alone be forgiven of by the rest of the world, and that this was his last act of redemption, his attempt to atone for his sins. Dean admitted his guilt and apologized to you, and the world, for all he has done as the leader of the Chosen."

"Of course I forgive him." General Thomas said and Pyrites could hear the sadness in her voice. "He thought he was doing right, he was following orders of his leader, of someone he believed in, I cannot fault him for that. He has realized that he made a mistake and is atoning for it, I hope the world knows what he has done. Seamus, what is my son's atonement?"

"This." Seamus said as he took a deep breath and began to relay the message that Dean had passed on. "As he died, Dean ask me, through the Avatar, to tell you that the Avatar is right, that he has died not because of Harry but because of Hermione and he begs you to end the blockade, to defect to the United Forces and contact their commander, Admiral Williamson. With the blockade over and the military that is loyal to you and General Creevey on the Avatar's side, Hermione can final be brought to justice for all her crimes, she can pay for all those who have died because of her laws, actions, and cowardice. Tell General Creevey of this as well, he has lost at least one son because of Hermione, possibly both. Dean requested that I be the one to tell you because he knew you would trust me and know that I speak the truth. He has asked this of you as his redemption, his atonement for the crimes he has committed. Please for Dean's sake and the sake of all those lost either because of Hermione's greed, laws or cowardice, please do this. The fate of the Fire Nation now lies in your hands General, use it wisely."

Pyrites notice a tear had rolled down Seamus's cheek as he spoke and he could hear the sobs of General Thomas on the other end as Seamus had detailed Dean's request. Personally, Pyrites had never really felt or even understood sadness.

Yes he had been upset when his father had passed when he was 12, but since then Pyrites hadn't really needed sadness in his life. He exploited it during the course of his work but due to the nature of his work, he had walled himself off from emotions to the point that he didn't feel things like sadness or remorse anymore. Besides, Pyrites knew that he was doing the right thing back then, even if they had lost the war because of his betrayal.

Pyrites had never been more directly involved with something before this mission but again he was only looking out for himself. True he had done things he had never expected he would, most notably fighting alongside and protecting the Avatar, but again it was to gain his own freedom, or so he told himself.

"I will Seamus." Came General Thomas's voice breaking Pyrites from his thoughts and letting him know that the General had regained her composure. "Give me a week to learn more from the Capital, confirm your story, and make sure the other senior officers who have children in the city are on my side. Then, when my ship is on the east side of the nation, I will contact you on this frequency. I will also reach out to Admiral Williamson of the United Forces as you asked, I am sure he would be interested in what I have to say. I will honor my son's last request. I have always felt deep down that Hermione had gone too far and I had never really believed that Iroh was the tyrant he has been labeled, I had just been persuaded by Dean that Hermione was right and Iroh had been wrong. My son's change of heart and death because of Hermione's cowardice has confirmed my suspicions. Hermione will not get away with murdering my boy and countless others in her attempt to maintain her hold on power. I am sorry for all I myself have done to support Hermione, and once this is all over, I will turn myself over to the authorities of the world, cooperate with them, and face their judgment as any good officer would."

"Thank you General." Seamus said with a small smile. "I will make sure that the world knows of this when it comes time, hopefully it will help in your court martial and sentencing. They will know of both your own and Dean's redemption and aid in ending Hermione's tyranny. Seamus out."

Seamus turned the radio off and turned to Pyrites, the small smile still on his face and Pyrites knew what it meant. They had succeeded in their part of the mission, now it was all in the hands of a General who had been loyal to Hermione for 5 years, possibly longer given her position, and they were banking on her grief for her son to help push her to their side. It was going to be a long week.

* * *

It had taken General Thomas all week to let the other Generals and senior military commanders know of the plan and convince them to defect. The cowardice of Hermione had been the catalyst that General Thomas needed as many blamed her for the loss of family and friends in the battle.

In the end, they had all agreed to defect, even General Towler in the Capital had agreed to join them and make sure that army was not in the city when the time came. Both the sea and air blockade would end and return home, escorting the United Navy and Air Force that had been building up over the week on the other side of the blockade.

It appeared that word had gotten to the United Republic that the blockade would end soon. That was the only reason for the sudden buildup of forces. Not that General Thomas was complaining, the more manpower they had, the less resistance they would face when they marched on the Palace.

The General had just contacted Seamus with the update and had promised that they would aid the United Forces as best they could. Seamus had been thankful and let her know that his rebels would join them in the Capital as additional support when the time came.

In addition, General Thomas had asked that only her, General Creevey who had similarly been devastated by the news of at least one of his son's death, and the other senior commanders who had agreed to go along with the Enlightened's coup 5 years ago should face criminal charges in a military tribunal under the authority of Firelord Druzok once this was all over. Their subordinates were just following orders, they should only pay for crimes that they had personally committed, not for following orders of officers complicit in Hermione's tyranny.

Seamus had agreed to let the Avatar know but did point out that she was more likely to see Avatar before him and could let him know the deal herself and see if he was willing to accept it. She was glad Seamus had told her the truth and she trusted him more than the Empress, Seamus may have betrayed her trust but he had been the one who Dean had requested deliver his dying declaration and Seamus had made sure he had done so. Hermione hadn't bothered to contact her regarding Dean's death, an insult to the military commander.

Instead, Hermione had spent the week claiming an unprovoked attack by the Avatar and his terrorist group, under the orders of the unenlightened and illegitimate leaders of the other nations, had tried to assassinate her and end her perfect and benevolent rule. The Empress had claimed that had it not been for the sacrifice of all those who had died to protect her and the Fire Utopia, she would have fallen and the nation lost the only enlightened leader in the world and as such lost all of her perfect laws.

Hermione claimed that they would have faced tyranny and oppression once more and the equality she had created would be gone if she had fought the dishonest Avatar and lost. Thomas didn't believe it and now that her son was dead because of Hermione's cowardice, she saw the girl for what she really was; an immature, entitled, stuck up, spoiled, bitch who didn't want to cede the power she had illegally obtained.

Hermione's speeches had only served to fuel the military's desertion from the Empress and their decision to join the Avatar and the United Republic in bringing Hermione to justice, even if they too had to face justice for their crimes. They all knew the truth after the Battle of the Caldera and the reports coming in from the Capital. No one had had to die if Hermione had had the courage to face the Avatar and in the Fire Utopia military, courage was respected while cowardice was punished. It had come time to punish Hermione.

General Thomas gave the order over the fleet channel to all ships, an order that would not be heard by the ground forces in the Capital, to drop anchor and prepare to return to the nearest military port. For her that would be the Royal Harbor that was the port of the Capital. This would of course come after she had coordinated with Admiral Williamson and rendezvoused with the Avatar as he had apparently disappeared, or as Hermione put it fled in cowardly fear, once his attempted insurrection against her was beaten.

Now, at last, the time to betray Hermione had come. Reaching for the radio General Thomas turned it to the frequency that the United Forces had used to hail them and try and persuade them to leave 5 years, and repeatedly since then, and began her request to contact Admiral Williamson. His flagship had appeared the day before making him the senior officer and the perfect person to officially surrender to. With a deep sigh, General Thomas began to relay her request to speak to the Commander of the United Forces.

* * *

Admiral Williamson sat in his office aboard the General Moody, the flagship of the United Forces 1st fleet, waiting for the call he had been told to expect. He had been briefed by his former comrade, temporary Commanding Officer, and now the Commander in Chief, President Shacklebolt, on the mission. Williamson trusted that the President knew what he was talking about and was ready for the call, even if he had never expected to receive such a call.

Over the last week, all the World Leaders, a large portion of the United Army and the experimental United Marine Corps had been assigned to ships, both air and sea, in preparation for what was expected to come. Then the Navy and Air Force had gotten into the right position facing the Fire Nation blockade. Now, though, the waiting was killing the seasoned soldier.

"Admiral." The harried voice of his aide said as he burst into Williamson's office. "Sorry for my rudeness and lack of discipline but there is a General Thomas on the radio. She is requesting you personally."

"That is quite ok lieutenant." Williamson said to his top aide. "I will ignore it this time as you have brought me the news I have been waiting for. I will deal with it in here. Thank you. Dismissed."

The lieutenant nodded, stood to attention, and saluted crisply before turning and leaving the office before Williamson could return the salute. Turning to the private radio he had in the office, the Admiral switched it on and routed it to his radio so that only he would hear the conversation.

"General Thomas I have been expecting this call." Williamson said into the receiver with a smile. "I assume you are calling to defect. That is what I have been told to expect anyway."

"I am Admiral." The female voice on the other end said with the commanding tone of a seasoned officer. "It would appear you know of what my son requested of me before he died. I take it that is why you are personally here before I could contact anyone else in the United Forces who usually watch the blockade."

"The Avatar has more than one way to get a message out, General." Williamson said bluntly. "Therefore I will not ask you to relive that pain again. I have no children so I cannot sympathize with your loss but you have my condolences. From what I heard, Dean was a fighter who served the Order of the Phoenix with distinction in the Battle of the Elemental Academy and later was a soldier in his own way under Hermione. I know the price of war as well as you do, General, I have lost my fair share of good men and women. It is always a shame when young life is so callously wasted, the way your son's was."

"Thank you for your kind words, Admiral." Thomas said and for a moment Williamson heard her voice crack before it returned to its professional tone. "There is one thing I will request before I officially turn the Fire Utopia blockade inwards and turn it over to your command."

"What is that?" Williamson asked curiously.

"That you only hold the generals and other senior officers who willingly participated in the Enlightened's coup responsible for their actions." The Fire Utopia General said with the resignation of a soldier who knows that their career is almost over. "Myself included. I am as complicit as Hermione and the other high ranking members of her government. I will cooperate fully but I will accept whatever punishment the world deems fit for my crimes. Those under us were just good soldiers who were following orders. I am sure you can understand."

"I do and I will tell the Firelord and President Shacklebolt what you have asked of me." Williamson replied. He respected General Thomas's decision to take responsibility and would work with the other authorities to ensure that only those responsible for the coup were punished. "But that shouldn't be a problem. Both are either former military or understand the military well enough to know who to hold responsible and who was just following orders. You understand that despite this redemption, you still face a possible life sentence for the coup if the Fire Nation Military Tribunal deems that the appropriate sentence."

"I do and am willing to face the punishment for my crimes." Thomas replied with a note of certainty in her voice. "My son died because of that coward who I once called my Empress and savior. Mine is but one of many other families that have been similarly destroyed because of Hermione. If my freedom for the rest of my life is the price I must pay in order to bring Hermione to justice, then it is one I will gladly pay."

"Very well, once Hermione has been removed from power you and the other conspirators will be taken into military custody pending either a court martial or a trial by an international tribunal." Williamson said seriously. "Until then, we need your leadership in keeping your troops in line and avoiding bloodshed. I will personally hold you to your word to fully cooperate with us and if you do, I will put in a good word for you at your sentencing."

"I understand and will do what is ask of as any good soldier would." Thomas replied, the reply that Williamson expected from her. "Those who are so loyal to Hermione that they will not obey my orders to defect have already been taken into custody. The Military Police have the charges and evidence needed to convict them and will hand over everything, including the prisoners, once the blockade is ended. However, most of the soldiers are on our side as they are fed up of the blockade and know of all those who have suffered because of Hermione. They want justice for the dead just as much as we do, Admiral. I shall now give the order to end the blockade, my last as General. Admiral Williamson, Commander of the United Forces, The Fire Nation Military is now under your command."

"Excellent but first there is a slight detour we must take." Williamson said smiling at the order, at last the blockade of the Fire Nation was officially over.

"We do?" General Thomas asked, confusion in her voice.

"Yes." Williamson said as certainty came into his voice. "We need to go fetch the Avatar."

 **Sorry for the long, slightly meandering, chapter, the different scenes were necessary to set up the final push for this Book. Only real thing to note here is that Towler, as with many minor characters or brief mentions, comes from the Harry Potter wikia page (in his case the list of Gryffindor's) so that is where the name comes from.** **That's all for this post chapter note. A** ** **s always** ** ** ** ** **keep letting me know what you think of this story in the reviews and any questions asked in reviews or PMs to me will be answered at the start of next week's chapter, whenever it is released. Until next week.************

 ** ** ** ** ** **Stringdog************


	27. Chapter 27

**Here is the 27th chapter in Book 2. Once again real life is getting the better of me so sorry that this is later than usual but still within my 24 hour margin of error, this should be the last week. Only 4 chapters left (plus a brief epilogue) after this so we are in the home stretch, but still plenty of action to be had.** ** **N** ** ** ** ** **othing else to add here so sit back and enjoy the latest installment in Avatar: The Tale of Harry. Book 2: Equality.************

 ** ** ** ** **Disclaimer:********** ** ** **As always I own nothing related to either of these two great works of fiction.******

 **Chapter 27**

Harry and his friends spent a week on Roku's Island waiting for news from the outside world that their plan had worked. Everyday Harry entered the Spirit World to see if he could get some news but every time he was told by either Jinora or a trusted spirit friend of hers that nothing knew had occurred. It was frustrating but Harry knew that this would take time to sort out in the wake of their attack and the extent of what they were asking General Thomas to do.

While on the island, Ron and Ginny did the cooking as they were the only ones who knew how to use Charlie's fishing kit, though Harry was certain it would be a while before he could eat fish again. They're clothes were as clean as they could get but Harry could use a fresh set after living in the blood and dirt stained clothes for a week. He knew it was times like this that would test them and they had passed it with flying colors in his opinion.

He was just about to assume the lotus position to go into the Spirit World on the morning of their 8th day on the island when he heard a the sound of a ship's horn. It was loud which made Harry instantly think of a warship or something similar. Harry looked east to where the sound had come from and smiled. On the horizon was a fleet of ships bearing the flags of the United Republic and the Fire Nation, not the Fire Utopia, approaching the island at full speed.

"Guys, our rescue is here." Harry shouted happily. "Luna cover up, I know you don't care but if I am right you are about to flash all the world leaders, including your future father in law."

There was a yelp from Luna. Harry knew that as open as Luna was, she had spent the week topless so now they all knew what her tits looked like, even Luna would cover up for important dignitaries. Harry turned to see that all his friends had gathered as Luna pulled on Ron's shirt, he still had an undershirt to wear, and clean up their meager camp. Soon they were ready and the ships were still about 20 minutes out so they just waited until they got there.

As the ships neared Harry saw a bison fly off from the front ship and in short order it landed on the island showing Jinora on the old bison's head. It looked like they had sent them a ride so that the ships didn't have to slow down, a wise move but given the amount of military leaders on the ships one that Harry wasn't surprised at.

"Hop on." Jinora called down from the bison's head. "This is easier than sending a boat and then we can turn and head towards the Capital at full speed."

Harry just nodded as he earthbent himself and his friends up and onto the bison, they had to jump the last part into the saddle but all of them could easily do that. Once they were all seated in the saddle, Jinora ordered her bison, Pepper, into the sky and steered the old girl towards the ship.

Harry knew that an air bison would live as long as it's companion but still that made Pepper as old as Jinora, yet still the old animal could fly and move as well as it had in its youth. In short order they were landing on the flagship of the United Forces and Harry hopped off the bison to see who had greeted him.

On the deck was Admiral Williamson in a purple officer's jacket that denoted his rank, only the third time in history that the Admiral's insignia had been worn as only the naval commander could be granted the rank and only if he or she had been promoted to Commander of the United Forces. The Admiral wore no medals with his uniform but Harry had a feeling that this was for practical purposes as Williamson was a highly decorated officer.

Next to Williamson were Princes Druzok and Zhan. Chiefs Arthur and Sirius stood a little behind them surveying the ship with the expert eyes of Water Tribesmen. Milo stood off to the side to help his sister with Pepper. That left one world leader unaccounted for.

Harry had to look around a little before he finally noticed President Shacklebolt deep in conversation with a dark skinned woman in the Fire Utopia's officers uniform and the rank insignia of a general on her shoulders. Harry assumed that this was General Thomas. It looked like all the leaders were here and Harry wasn't surprised as with the military aid in the attack, they would be protected. Not that any of them would need protection, Harry knew that all were expert benders and seasoned warriors after the Purity Wars.

Before Harry could go and greet the dignitaries he was body slammed to the deck by a large, hairy animal that proceeded to start licking him. It was a very undignified way to meet the most powerful people in the world, but animals didn't obey the rules of humans, especially when they got to see their human for the first time in months.

"Hedwig?" Harry exclaimed in surprise as his badgermole proceeded to lick him for all she was worth. It took a moment for him to extricate himself from under his animal companion and pat her white head affectionately.

"I think she knew that we were leaving to aid you." Jinora said as she approached them laughing. Harry noticed that Ron and Ginny had gone to great their dad while Neville had bowed to Prince Druzok and begun debriefing him. The other leaders were just laughing at Harry's predicament. "So we felt she had to come with us. You might be able to use her when we reach the Capital."

"Thank you, I have missed her while being in the Fire Nation." Harry said still patting his badgermole. "She's a land animal though who sees with earthbending so how is she able to cope on the ship. I wasn't even aware that badgermoles could go on ships."

"She hasn't coped well Avatar, we learned that the hard way." Admiral Williamson said as he approached Harry and grasped his forearm in a traditional Southern Water Tribe greeting, the nation Williamson's parents had hailed from.

Harry had gotten to know Moody's permanent replacement as Commander of the United Forces, the only one eligible to use the rank Admiral and not General, over the last few years as they had worked together in the clean up efforts after Voldemort's defeat. Harry knew the man was a competent officer and expert sailor, he had been the naval commander before assuming the rank of Admiral and Commander of the United Forces following Shacklebolt's election as President as he was the most senior commander. Harry assumed that Williamson's replacement as naval commander, Commander Savage, was on a different ship coordinated the United Navy's approach to the Fire Nation.

"On the plus side, the mess she has made has been a great punishment duty." The Admiral continued with a laugh. "Never seen a seasick badgermole before and never want to see one again. I'm sure those who had to clean her and the mess she made will not be breaking the rules again anytime soon."

"Glad to see she could be of assistance." Harry said with a smile at his animal companion. "So, Admiral, what is the plan? I take it that Seamus was saved and got through to General Thomas."

"He did and it was all thanks to your tamed Death Eater Pyrites, otherwise Seamus would have likely been killed in your failed attempt to take the Capital." Williamson said with a shake of his head. "It's still hard to fathom that all this has been possible because of the aid of a convicted Death Eater and international spymaster but that has been the case."

"His desire for freedom, relatively speaking, is a strong motivator." Harry said with a laugh. "And it worked."

"It did, if you will come with me Avatar, we can go over the plan with General Thomas and then you and your friends can go clean up and get changed." Williamson said as he turned to walk towards the defected leader of the Fire Utopia military. "No offense but y'all reek. Reminds me of my junior officer days while on nautical, anti-piracy, missions but that is besides the point."

"A week on an island with only an emergency fishing kit and limited fresh water to bathe in isn't pleasant." Harry agreed, they could talk about the Admiral's war stories over dinner. "A shower will be nice. How long until we reach the Capital?"

"We should be there sometime tomorrow morning." Williamson said as they walked over to the Fire Utopia General and the President of the United Republic. "We are going as fast as we can but we are still about 100 miles out and we want to have daylight tomorrow when we take the city. Ah General Thomas, may I present Avatar Harry."

"General, know that I am sorry for what happened to your son." Harry said with genuine sadness as he offered the woman a traditional Fire Nation bow, a bow that she returned. "I did not want to fight him last week, I did not want to kill him as I take no pleasure or joy in death. I am pleased to see he has not died in vein, that his dying wish for atonement has been realized."

"I do not blame you for my son's death Avatar Harry." The woman said with sadness in her voice. "But it is comforting to hear you took no joy or pleasure in his death. Dean was a soldier in his own way, as am I, we both know, or knew, the ultimate price war can take from someone and are willing to die for our nation. However the fact that Dean died needlessly because of the cowardice of his leader and that angers me. I hold Hermione accountable, not you, not only for Dean's death but that of all who have perished in the last 5 years under her regime. I have been too sheltered on the fringes, no longer. I will honor my son's atonement, his dying wish, and have my own atonement to make over the coming years. You have the support of the military Avatar, we will fight our own if they are still loyal to Hermione but we do not want to."

"Thank you." Harry said with respect to the career officer. "I am sure the Firelord will understand as well."

"It's still Prince until I have been crowned as Firelord, I refuse to use the title when I am not able to protect my people from within my nation." Druzok said as he approached them. "But I do understand the situation. It doesn't lessen the crimes you have committed General but I appreciate the change of heart."

"Thank you your highness." She said bowing to Druzok. "I will take responsibility for my actions once Hermione is in chains, or the ground, and I will cooperate fully."

"That is good to know." Druzok said with a nod. "And I will honor your request and only hold the senior officers and enlisted who were responsible for the coup 5 years ago when it comes down to the courts martial of the military. However, I will be commissioning an internal investigation of the military as a whole as part of the International Tribunal for the former Fire Utopia to investigate, find, charge, and convict any soldiers who committed crimes during the Fire Utopia era. All crimes will be punished accordingly."

"I agree and accept that." General Thomas said with a nod. "I will help with that as best I can."

"This is all well and good but we have more pressing things to discuss right now." Shacklebolt interrupted in his deep baritone. "Avatar, I have just been informed that General Creevey managed to persuade the forces stationed outside of the caldera of Hermione's cowardice, well it wasn't hard given the fact they all heard your announcement and challenge to Hermione and saw the destruction that her refusal wrought upon the Capital. They will stand down and join us once we reach land, with their leaders agreeing to surrender once the Capital has been liberated from Hermione's tyranny. I propose we march en mass up the switch backs and into the city once the forces outside of the Capital have surrendered. Our sheer numbers will be too great for any opposition that meet us in the Capital to dare challenge us and from what I have been told, we expect the people to join in the liberation march. This way it should be bloodless until we reach the Palace."

"With the forces we have, there should be little to no resistance." Harry agreed. "But I will have to face Hermione in order to bring her to justice, of that I am certain of. This is something that I know I must do alone. I only ask that my team be with me when the time comes, maybe a few of the rebel leaders or Pyrites as well if the numbers within the Palace exceed what I think we can handle on our own."

"Of course." Williamson said with a nod. "Fate works in mysterious ways and this something that must be done by you and your team alone, we all accept that. Now I think you should get ready, then you can come back here and brief us on what has happened over the last few months while you were out of contact and behind enemy lines."

"Thank you." Harry said bowing to the leaders and General Thomas. "Er could someone show me to where I can shower and change, I am familiar with the standard layout of an airship, not a naval vessel."

A young Ensign appeared out of nowhere, likely at the beckoning of the Admiral, and silently escorted Harry inside and to the officer's quarters. Three rooms had been set aside for his team and Harry couldn't help but smile as he walked into the room he had been assigned and thanked the Ensign. The shower was on and he knew Ginny was in it washing a weeks worth of dirt, mud, salt and blood off. Stripping out of his clothes, Harry made sure his blades were still good before he went to join his startled fiancé in the shower.

* * *

After the shower, Harry dressed in a provided green military jacket and pants that had been waiting for him in the room's closet. He wasn't a fan of the style but it was clean and better than he expected. Ginny's father had brought her a spare set of clothes so she looked normal.

Soon they were joined by the others. Ron was in his usual warrior's outfit, Luna had a fresh glider suit on that Jinora had likely brought with her, and Neville looked like a Fire Nation soldier. Harry smiled at his friends before he led them all back to the front deck where the various world and military leaders were waiting for them.

They spent the next few hours telling their story of what they had been through, and done, over the last few months, culminating in the Battle of the Caldera. Arthur was proud that they had found Charlie alive, that had been a family worry over the last 5 years, and that he had aided them in their mission. Arthur was looking forward to seeing his son again for the first time in years as Charlie was still somewhere on the outskirts of the city based on the reports that they had received from Seamus.

When they were done with their report and answering questions, the others retired to do their own things while Harry remained on the deck. He walked to the bow and leaned on the railing as he looked out to the horizon. The harbor of the Capital was just about visible as the sun was setting behind the Fire Nation. Soon they would be back there. Soon this would all be over.

As Harry stood at the bow, looking out across the sea he felt a presence come up next to him and join him in his position. He didn't need to turn to look at the person who had joined him, Harry knew who had come to talk to him.

"Avatar, I want to thank you for all you have done for me and my people in reclaiming the Fire Nation from the tyranny it is suffering under at the moment." Druzok said breaking the silence. "I wish I could have gone with you, the way Zuko did at the end of the 100 year war, and helped you on your mission."

"Prince Druzok, you do not need to thank me for doing my duty." Harry said not looking at the Prince. "Your nation was, well it still is, out of balance and has been for years, ever since Hermione murdered Iroh. I just wish I had come sooner and saved more from Hermione's tyranny, but alas the mess we had to clean up because of Voldemort was too great. Besides, there is still more to do before the nation is free and you have been of more use safe in Republic City than at risk in the Fire Nation. If you had joined us and she figured out that you have were there, she would have razed the nation to the ground to end you as you represent the legitimate leader and she knows it."

"Thank you Harry." Druzok said. "And I know that there was little we could do until now, I will do whatever I can to set my nation right when this is all done. I do hope Izra is ok as well, we know that she was captured during the coup and that Hermione is holding her somewhere but that is all."

"She will likely need some help given the trauma she has no doubt been through when we free her, but I am certain she is alive." Harry said as he felt Druzok look at him so he continued. "Hermione wouldn't kill a valuable prisoner like the Princess as she is a useful as leverage or a trade asset. We know because she tried to trade Izra for Warren a few years back but we refused because it wasn't what Izra would have wanted. If Hermione had killed your sister, did she would make sure the world knew it and saw it knowing that bitch."

"I hope so." Druzok said with a sad sigh. "I never thought I would be exiled from my home or that I would return to reclaim with the Avatar."

"Life seldom works out as we envision it." Harry said somberly. "I never expected to be the Avatar but I was chosen by Raava for this duty and I will do it to the best of my ability while I am able to do so. Just as you did not chose to be born into the Fire Nation Royal Family, I did not chose to be the Avatar. We take the hands that we are dealt and we do the best we can with them in whatever way helps the most people."

"What did you foresee for yourself before you were named the Avatar?" Druzok asked after a pause to think over Harry's words. The question caught Harry a little off guard and he had to think about it for a moment before he answered.

"Honestly, I have no idea." Harry said after he had thought of how to answer the Prince's question. "Before I realized that I was the Avatar, I was focused at the Academy at becoming the best earthbender the world had ever known. I was well on track for that as well because I was the first known earthbender to master both metal and lavabending with sandbending being next on the list. What I was going to do with my skills I had no idea. I was good at probending so I could have easily had a profession in that like my father, my godfather Sirius was at the time the Head Coach of the Omashu Ostrich/horses and had been trying to persuade me to go pro on graduation. I was also thinking about joining the RCPD or the IBI as I thought it would be cool to use my skills to fight crime and make the world a better place. However, I honestly was just focused on studies until I discovered that I was the Avatar. Now I have already had to take down one psychotic, megalomaniacal, elitist, arrogant, cruel, uncompromising madman bent on world domination and subjection to his twisted, evil, views, and then I had another one to take down immediately afterwards. The only differences between them is that this time it is a madwoman and what motivates Hermione is her twisted view of equality whereas Voldemort it was his twisted notion of purity."

"I see." Druzok said after Harry was done talking, the Prince had clearly been listening and letting Harry speak without interruption. "Yes, I was not expecting to be the heir to Iroh but rather heir to my father at a later date but alas my father died in an accident years ago so I had to take the mantle of Crown Prince at a young age. I had hoped for peace upon Voldemort's arrest but alas the universe had other ideas for me and we were stabbed in the back by a cowardly coup that used our triumph over Voldemort as cover to take control of my nation."

"I am hoping for peace as well once Hermione is removed from power." Harry said with a sigh. "Well at least peace from a global terrorist that is, common crime will continue but that is to be expected. There will still be a few things for you to do to clean up the nation when she is gone and it will be on you to do so."

"Of course and I will." Druzok said and Harry saw him nod out of the corner of his eye. "But I would appreciate your council when the time comes. I have already requested an international commission be established and a tribunal created to investigate, charge, prosecute, and convict all those who have committed crimes in the Fire Utopia, under Fire Nation law at the time of my grandfather's death of course, but the council of the Avatar is one I will need as well."

"You will have it." Harry said firmly. "I want to see this thing through to the end, as I did with Voldemort, no matter how long it takes. There is one thing I can suggest to you right now."

"What?" Druzok asked curiously.

"If I capture Hermione alive." Harry said with determination. "And I have every intention to capture her alive and not make her a martyr because she deserves to face justice. It just cannot be her form of justice. It has to be fair justice under the law of a respected nation, not the show trials that she has conducted over the last 5 years. When the time comes to prosecute Hermione for crimes, show her and the world that you are better than she could ever be by having her stand a fair trial under Fire Nation law as it was laid out prior to her coup. I know you have said as much, I just want to be sure."

"Of course Avatar, you have my word that this will happen." Druzok promised seriously.

"Good." Harry said with a thin smile. "Let Hermione see what true justice is, let her face her crimes and convict her in a court of law. Because of her actions being limited to the Fire Nation, we haven't been able to convict her in absentia for her crimes while Fire Empress of the Fire Utopia as that would be a violation of international law. She was convicted 4 years ago in absentia of the crimes she committed while at the Academy when she tried to kill me and has received a cumulative sentence of 137 years, all convictions to be served consecutively, but this will put her away forever at the very least."

"Or sentence her to death." Druzok said solemnly. "High Treason, which she will be charged with, is the only capital offense in the Fire Nation and under Fire Nation law at the time of my grandfather's death, only the Firelord or a member of his direct family can prosecute such a crime. As such, I will be the one to prosecute her, with your aid of course."

"I will help as best I can." Harry agreed. "I want to see her put away for life or executed as much as the next person. However, this can only occur after a fair trial."

"Obviously." Druzok said. "Don't worry, I understand Harry. As much as I would love to throw her in a hole and throw away the key or kill her outright, I will make sure she knows that we are above her form of justice. She will face a fair trial for her actions. I will make sure she goes before a 5 judge panel comprised of a representative from each nation, excluding the United Republic, as it allowed in the Fire Nation in specific cases and is prescribed under the laws for an international tribunal, which is what will be used to try all crimes committed during the illegal Fire Utopia."

"Thank you Druzok." Harry said, not using a formal title for the Crown Prince for the first time in a while. "I would also ask that she be handed over the Ty La and the Kyoshi Warriors for incarceration in the prison in Golguth, or another similar hole, after her conviction. Given her status it would be best to ensure that she spends her sentence in isolation away from anyone in an unknown location. This is known as the Zaheer Doctrine after Zaheer's first attempt to kidnap Korra and was applied to Voldemort after he arrest."

"I was going to ask that of you so of course she will be sent to one." Druzok said before he began laughing. "Though if she gets a death sentence, the law states that she must be executed within 90 days so in that case she would be housed in the Palace dungeons pending execution, under Kyoshi guard of course."

"That is fine with me." Harry said. "If Hermione receives the ultimate punishment then she should be executed in the Fire Nation."

"As it should be." Druzok said before pausing. "You know Harry, when you and your friends showed up on my doorstep 5 and a half years ago after fleeing the Academy and bringing news to my grandfather of the fall of the United Republic, I never expected this. Then again, no one saw the coup coming."

"We have come full circle in a sense." Harry said with a small smile "Though I certainly wasn't expecting to find the spymaster of Voldemort in Iroh's Fire Assembly. As much as it pains me to admit it, without Pyrites we wouldn't have broken Voldemort's information network which allowed us to retake the Elemental Academy and ultimately defeat him and we certainly wouldn't be here now without his aid."

"Yes we owe a debt of gratitude to a self serving Death Eater, something I never thought would happen, but sometimes one's self interest is a useful tool." Druzok said. "I will honor our deal with Pyrites because he has upheld his end of the bargain and I am a man of my word. But once this shit is over with, I will be happy to never see his face again."

"You and me both." Harry said with a laugh. "Though knowing Pyrites, we will be seeing him again in the future, he is someone who cannot stay out of the action for long unless forced to by confinement in prison. I will ask that he be honored along with the rest of us once this is over. Pyrites has been pivotal in this mission and if we succeed it will be partially, if not mostly, due to his actions behind the scenes if both getting the rebel leaders together and saving Seamus so that he could contact General Thomas. I know that I may have been captured during the Battle of the Caldera had it not been for Pyrites's finding me and helping me. I have fought with him protecting my back and entrusted my safety to him, something I never thought possible given his past affiliations and current philosophical views, but he proved me wrong. Also we certainly wouldn't have been as successful in turning the military if he had not saved Seamus."

"Of course Harry." Druzok said seriously. "As much as it pains me, Pyrites will be honored for his actions as will all the rebel leaders and of course Team Avatar. Without y'all, we wouldn't be were we are right now, on the cusp of victory and liberation for my people. I have been thinking of what to say if we win and I am crowned but I have decided it will be best to speech from the heart when the time comes."

"A good idea." Harry said with a nod. "It will be more meaningful to the people to hear their rightful ruler speak to them from the heart."

As they had been speaking the ships had neared the harbor and now the Great Gates of Azulon were clear in the distance, less than half an hour away. The sun had set and they would likely be dropping anchor soon so as to discuss the plan for the morning over dinner. There was still a lot to do.

They also had to hope that General Creevey had been right and the land forces would side with them tomorrow as promised. Harry knew that the Enforcers and the FUICEE would not side with them but their sheer forces would be enough to persuade them to not fight, Harry hoped. Though given the FUICEE's actual nature, Harry doubted many would be found in the Capital tomorrow, they would have to be rounded up after the Fire Nation was liberated from tyranny

"Ah the Great Gates of Azulon." Druzok said looking at them. "We are almost home."

"They are no longer named that." General Thomas said from behind Harry making both him and Druzok jump and turn around to face the defected General. "Sorry didn't mean to startle you, I just came to tell you that you are needed by Admiral Williamson. We are about to drop anchor on this side of the gates for the night and figure out the formation for tomorrow over diner in the Admiral's private quarters."

"Of course, one second though General." Harry said as he took a step away from the railing. "Could you tell me why the change in name?"

"Surely you can guess, you did go to Fire Fountain City did you not?" General Thomas said with a cock of her head. "Well Hermione has been actively eradicating any historical references she could, especially those from the 100 year war period. She sees the mistakes of the past as unnecessary for the future and as symbols of racism, elitism, purity, bigotry, and tyranny. I can see where she is coming from but as a soldier I feel like there is a sense of heritage in them and they serve as a stark reminder of our mistakes and how we should learn from them so that we may never make them again. She renamed the Great Gates of Azulon to the Gateway to Equality and replaced the statue of Azulon with one of herself. In 5 years she has created more statues to herself than the previous 6 Firelords combined and that's saying something give Sozin, Azulon and Ozai's penchant for self-aggrandizing and their respective cults of personality, something Hermione has only been partially successful at creating."

"Of course she would." Harry said shaking his head as he began to walk back to the others. "Well let's go and sort this shit out now, shall we."

* * *

They spent dinner sorting out the formation for when they landed and ultimately came up with a two column formation. One of the United Forces under the leadership of Admiral Williamson with the Army at the front with Commander Dora in the center of the front rank of her branch. They would be followed by the fledgling United Marine Corps while the Navy and Air Force remained on their respective ships. The other column would be the Fire Utopia soldiers who had joined them in rebellion against Hermione. General Thomas would lead that column. This was to show the unity between the two military forces and the fact that Hermione no longer had control of her military.

At the head of all their forces would be Harry riding Hedwig to show the Capital that the Avatar had truly come back to the Fire Nation to restore balance. On one side would be Ginny and Luna and the other Ron and Neville as members of Team Avatars and 4 of the key figures of the last 3 months. Harry wanted to make sure that the Fire Nation saw their return, saw their liberation, and saw those responsible for it.

Between Hedwig and the columns would be President Shacklebolt and the other legitimate world leaders in a line to show that they stood with the Avatar and the true leader of the Fire Nation. Druzok was the exception to all this as he would ride on Hedwig with Harry to show that he had the blessing of the Avatar to lead the Fire Nation. Druzok had wanted to walk in front of everyone to proclaim his rightful rule but Harry pointed out that a desperate assassin may try to take a shot at him and this way the nation would see him by the Avatar's side.

Harry hoped that they would see the others who had aided them in the recent battle in the city. They had managed to get a message off to Seamus via Dean's private frequency, and sent hawks to Oliver and Charlie but they couldn't tell if it had worked. Lastly Jinora would fly overhead on Pepper with a few VV reporters and cameras so that the whole world could see the liberation of the Fire Nation and hopefully Hermione in chains at the end.

All the while the Air Forces would head to surround the Capital from above while the navy guarded the harbor. There would be no escape if Harry could manage it. Even the ground forces had agreed to set up a perimeter around the base of the caldera just in case there were secret tunnels that left the mountain for those with high enough priority could use to escape.

They're entrance into the harbor was unchallenged, though only 12 ships could actually enter it, the rest were purely manned by naval personnel to guard the harbor. Many of the soldiers stationed at the harbor, and who weren't tasked with the caldera perimeter force, quickly joined them once the procession began its steady march through the industrial zone and towards the caldera. It had taken some time to organize everyone and begin the march, hence why they had planned it to begin in the morning, but by early afternoon they had begun. The newcomers filed in at the back of the columns.

Harry couldn't help but feeling like a conqueror as he led the large military progression on Hedwig but he knew that they were in fact liberators, freeing the Fire Nation for years of tyranny. At last, after more than 5 years, the Fire Nation would be freed from Hermione's oppression.

As they neared the switchbacks, with more civilians and soldiers joining them as they marched clearly knowing that Hermione's time had come, Harry looked at the large stone statue of Hermione and turned to the Crown Prince behind him on the saddle. Druzok nodded with a serious look on his face at what the bitch had done to his nation. This was the Prince's first appearance home since he had left to aid in the liberation of the Northern Water Tribe during the Second Purity War and Harry knew that it was a painful return for the Prince who cared deeply about his people and all that they had suffered in his absence.

As they neared the statue, Harry raised his right hand and turned the base to lava. With a little push of his earthbending, Harry made sure that the statue fell back and shattered as they passed to a series of cheers from the crowd. Harry knew that many did not like Hermione and the events of the last few months, especially the ones last week, had turned the public opinion firmly against Hermione. Of course she would never believe that to her dying day, which might just be today if Harry was forced to kill her.

They arrived at the switchbacks and had to travel in a closer formation to proceed up them. While they had been expanded since the end of the 100 year war they were still a nightmare to climb but given that no military was opposing them at this point they met no opposition on the way up and crested the lip of the caldera and looked down upon the Capital for the first time since the battle that had occurred here a week ago.

Prior to the end of the 100 year war, only nobles were allowed into Royal Caldera City except by invitation of the Firelord. When Zuko took power he changed it to allow commoners to move there and even started a housing initiative in part of the city to make sure that there was room for everyone who wanted to live here. By the time of Iroh it was a good mix of nobility and commoners. Of course in the last 5 years the nobility had been outlawed and the caldera was populated by whoever worked in the city, and those fanatically loyal to Hermione who she kept near her at all times. As they entered the city and resumed their progression and formation Harry could see the scars of the battle.

Burned and demolished houses were everywhere, some still sending smoke into the air. Craters and scorch marks littered the streets and standing walls where the combatants had gone at it. In addition there were several blood stains throughout the capital that had yet to be cleaned up or were being done so by those on the lowest rungs of Hermione's society.

As Harry led the combined forces through the city, civilians began to take notice of the armed forced that were marching to the Palace and began to shout from windows. There were a few insults but most were shouts of encouragement, hope and joy as the forces marched towards the Palace at the center of the city. It was clear that the liberation of the Fire Nation had finally come, this time hopefully without as much bloodshed as last time. The Avatar and the true leader of the Fire Nation was here at last.

They had known that unlike Wu back during the Anarchy of the Earth Kingdom, Druzok would have been there if he could and was known to them as a champion for his people. Also Zaheer had just left the country in chaos when he killed the Earth Queen, Hermione instantly took control after she assassinated the Firelord and instituted her brutal dictatorship. It wasn't until they neared the palace that the first obstacle came into view.

In front of them, about a mile from the Palace walls, stood at most 500 black clad Enforcers. They were likely all that was left in the Capital after the battle plus any that had been called in to supplement their numbers afterwards. The Enforcers were clearly outnumbered but they stood there, prepared to fight to defend their Empress.

Harry assumed that the Blades had fled as soon as they realized they had no hope given that they were simply opportunistic thugs and not disciplined soldiers or officers who were loyal to Hermione for ideological reasons. The FUICEE were also likely around somewhere but likewise not a force that could match them or would want to fight them.

At the head of the formation was the Acting Commissioner, Harry assumed based on the gold epaulets and the fact that Ron had caved in the commissioner's face during the battle. The man was glaring at Harry as he approached, hate evident in his beady eyes.

"In the name of Empress Hermione the Savior I hereby order you to stop and lay down your arms." The leader of the Enforcers said in his best attempt at a command voice but Harry could hear it falter as the man realized the size of the force behind Harry. "You are all under arrest for terrorism and treason against the Fire Utopia."

"Really? Are you going to try and stop us." Harry called from his seat as he raised he hand to signal to the force behind him to stop. "Hasn't this city seen enough bloodshed in recent days, hasn't this nation enough death in the last 5 years at the hands of Hermione. Face it, y'all are outnumbered and outclassed. You stand no chance against the Avatar, his team, the world leaders, and two different military forces. Lay down your arms, the Fire Utopia era is over. I am Avatar Harry and I am here to restore balance to the Fire Nation and return their rightful leader to the throne. Please, I ask you not to fight for I do not want to have to kill you, too much blood has already needlessly been spilt, don't add to it. Think of your families and the families of all the soldiers here, think of all those families who will never see a loved one again because of Hermione's cowardice or cruelty. There is no need for needless fighting and death. Hermione already allowed that when she refused my challenge last week, will you follow her example. Face it you have lost."

The Acting Commissioner paused for a second as if he was going to fight before he reluctantly nodded. He detached a sword at his belt and dropped it, followed by his studded truncheon, to his side before he fell to his knees and placed his hands behind his head in surrender. His Enforcers, realizing their leader had surrendered, followed suit, though Harry noticed a few towards the back slink off. They could run but any who had served in the Enforcers would be hunted down and arrested to face an investigation into their actions and likely charges for their crimes.

"Show mercy on us you fucking tyrants." The Acting Commissioner called up at Harry. "We surrender our lives to your tyranny."

"We are not the tyrants and deep down y'all know it." Harry said as he turned and nodded at Admiral Williamson who detached several of his soldiers to hurry forward and arrest the Enforcers as prisoners of war, they would not face charges for this but any criminal actions committed during the last 5 years was fair game. "You will be treated fairly and within the bounds of international law regarding the humane treatment of prisoners of war for the time being. In time you will face the justice of the Fire Nation for the crimes you have committed but unlike those you arrested, you will all receive a fair trial."

The Commissioner didn't looked convinced as a soldier approached him and roughly cuffed him and yanked him to his feet but he didn't say anything. None of his men or women said anything as they were systematically arrested.

"Take them to the Prison Tower." Druzok ordered. "Save the special cell for Hermione though. Once that is filled, then just guard them but treat them fairly, we will not sink to their level. This will be over soon enough."

There was a chorus of affirmatives at Druzok's orders as the Enforcers were lead away by the detached soldiers. They had planned for this and there were prison transport vans following the procession just in case. As soon as the road was clear they continued their march towards the Palace.

Soon they passed out of the general city and into the mansion district that surrounded the Palace, the walls of the Palace were in the distance and the gates stood closed. The hole in the wall Harry had created had been patched up. As Harry looked up he noticed that the guards usually on the ramparts were gone. Likely because they had realized the end was near and had either fled or joined them in the liberation of the Fire Nation. However standing in front of the gates were 4 people who Harry recognized at once.

Seamus and Pyrites looked normal in clean Fire Nation clothes and armed as if nothing was amiss. By contrast Oliver had a bandage around part of his face and Katie had her arm in a sling and a crutch at her side showing that her and her fiancé had not escaped the battle unharmed. As they approached the 4 rebel leaders walked forward, or in Katie's case limped and Pyrites still managed to almost swagger. As they arrived, first Seamus, then Oliver, Katie with a grimace of pain, and lastly, and clearly reluctantly, Pyrites took a knee in front of the procession as the cameras took it all in. As Harry stopped Hedwig in front of them, stopping the march as well, they all placed a hand over their hearts bowing their head to their liege.

Harry dismounted gracefully, they had reached their final destination, followed by Druzok and the pair walked to the 3 senior rebels and the coerced former Death Eater. How they had all decided to come here was a mystery to Harry but one he could find out later. He had a feeling that all but the kneeling had been Pyrites' plan.

"Rise." Druzok order in his most formal voice and they did, almost in unison though Katie with a lot of effort. "You have done your nation a service that I, we, can never truly repay. I ask that you join us on this final leg of our march to victory."

"Also stand back as I open the gates, Avatar style." Harry said with a smirk before turning to the soldiers. "Commander Dora, I need your best earthbenders up here with me."

"Of course Avatar." Dora responded walking forward to him from the formation before turning to her soldiers. "Did the Avatar fucking stutter, he asked for the best earthbenders. Are you ladies not the best? Front and center now."

Without a word 20 earthbenders rand forward to join their Commander by Harry's side.

"Stand back, then when I use my bending to destroy the foundations of the gate, you do the same to the nearby wall." Harry said before turning to Druzok. "Sorry about your front gate my friend."

Before the Crown Prince could reply Harry took a few paces forward and then with a complex movement of his arms he dropped to a knee and slammed the ground with his palms. The earth rumbled forwards but it was clear Harry had turned it to lava and was it reached the gates he spread it put to cover a portion of the foundations, weakening it. standing Harry slammed his foot on the ground causing the gated to fall down. As he did so the earthbenders followed suit and a portion of the wall fell kicking up dust as it did so and cooling the lava back to stone.

"Well, I was planning on doing some remodeling." Druzok said idly as the dust settled. "Guess this is a good start."

When the coast was clear, Harry groaned at the sight that greeted him. Standing on the other side of the wall was a unit of around 30 Chosen in a variety of camouflage patterns representing all elements, nations and a few subbending disciplines. Seriously, they had lost, why would they chose certain death instead of surrendering peaceful. Before they could step forward, a booming voice came from a hidden speaker in the Palace.

"Leave now, you have illegally invaded the Fire Utopia." Came Hermione's angry voice. "I am Empress Hermione the Savior, the enlightened and legitimate ruler of the Fire Utopia, the restorer of equality, the slayer of tyrants, the freer of slaves, and the bringer of enlightened laws. Leave and you will not be arrested and executed for all your crimes of which I have just convicted you all of. I am the only legitimate leader in the world, all others are not enlightened and therefore illegitimate. Leave and take your tyranny with you. If you proceed you will be crushed like the inferiors you are. No one can stand against my enlightened laws."

"Well I guess she won't surrender peacefully." Harry said to Druzok. "Not that we expected it. I think she has completely lost touch with reality given the size of our forces that we have brought to her gates."

"Well let's see if these Chosen will surrender." Druzok said taking a step forward before Harry stopped him.

"No your highness." Harry said stopping him. "You are too valuable and we do not want them to attack you en mass before we can stop it. This is where we end it once and for all. Seamus, Pyrites, join us."

"Of course Harry." Seamus said as he joined with Team Avatar as they approached the ruined wall. The Chosen had yet to move.

"Do I have too." Pyrites said though Harry noticed that he still followed them regardless of his complaint.

As Harry walked over the wall the Chosen tensed ready for a fight, as did Harry and his friends. If it came to it, Harry was sure that the 7 of them could take the 30 Chosen in front of them, though not without killing many of them. However, before either side could attack, a strained voice spoke from behind the Chosen.

"Stand down." It said and Harry could hear the pain in it. Clearly the speaker had received a chest injury recently. "There is no point in throwing your life away for a cowardly leader who sends us out here to die against a superior and larger force when she has had the chance to end this herself a week ago and didn't. No one should have died last week when the Avatar challenged her, had she accepted it my brother would still be alive today, as would some of your loved ones. It took his death right in front of my eyes for me to realize that we cannot win against the Avatar. Look at the amount gathered here to face us and tell me we will win? We won't. We may be Chosen, we may be better benders than average if you believe Hermione's bullshit, which I no longer do, but we are not the Avatar, and we do not have the Avatar on our side. We will not win. Don't throw your life away needlessly. Think of those who will mourn you if you die today and how they will feel when they learn that you died needlessly, when you could have surrendered and lived. The Avatar and his friends could have killed me last week and didn't. They offered me the chance to surrender but I chose to fight instead because I believed that as a Chosen I would be victorious as Hermione had always said we would be. I almost died because I believed in Hermione over the Avatar. They are not the monsters Hermione makes them out to be. She is the true monster, not the Avatar. She sent us to die while she thinks of a way to flee from the throne that she stole from the rightful ruler of the Fire Nation. I for one am not going to die today. I would rather surrender myself to the justice of the Firelord and beg for mercy than fight for a monster and a coward. I beg my you, my Chosen brothers and sisters, to join me in this surrender,"

Harry watched as Dennis slowly walked around the unit from his position in the back. He was shirtless and his chest was heavily bandaged from where his ribs had no doubt been broken by Ron's hammer. Dennis walked up to Harry and knelt his arms behind his head in surrender. Harry didn't waste anytime in walking over the rubble and moving to cuff Dennis's hand behind his back and pull him to his feet using one of the sets of platinum cuffs he was carrying for something like this.

"Thank you, I am sorry about Colin." Harry whispered into the boy's ear as he helped Dennis to his feet. "Go to the Druzok, he will see that you are processed fairly and taken to a holding cell pending trial, but before you go how many are inside? Any aid you give us now will help when your trial comes."

"20." Dennis answered back just as quietly. "All fanatics who will die rather than surrender. Hermione sent out those who were more likely to surrender and kept those inside who would never surrender. There are also 49 Chosen who aren't in the Capital, she always has 50 roving the nation to enforce her laws but you killed one and he was never replaced. They will be hard to find as they will know that Hermione has fallen and will try to flee. Thank you for showing us mercy Harry, I hold you or Pyrites no ill will for Colin's death, it was our own fault and that of Hermione, not yours."

Harry didn't say anything as Dennis proceeded to walk over the rubble to cries of "traitor" and "coward" from the other Chosen. However, when Harry looked at them and briefly entered the Avatar State to show that he was serious they faltered. One of the Chosen in the front row swore and knelt his hands behind the back of his head. In short order all 30 had surrendered and Druzok had ordered the soldiers to arrest them and take them away for processing.

Soon the area between the wall and the Palace was clear of enemies. Harry turned to Druzok who had come through the wall along with Williamson and a unit of soldiers who instantly fanned out to surround the Palace.

"From here on out it is Team Avatar's job to flush out the Chosen in the Palace and bring Hermione to justice, it is your job to make sure the city is liberated and this area ready for when we return." Harry said before turning to Seamus and Pyrites. "Seamus, Pyrites, I will not expect you to join us but I would like your assistance. Pyrites, I know I have asked a lot of you and your beliefs to aid us in liberating the Fire Nation but I could use your skills going forward as I do not know what to expect."

"I will stand by your side until the end Avatar." Seamus said bowing his head to Harry.

"We started this when you came to my cell with a deal for my freedom." Pyrites said walking to Harry and looking him in the eye. "We may not see eye to eye but I have grown to respect you over the last few months Avatar. I will be honored to stand by your side one last time as we end this shit and take the mudblood cunt down. Afterwards, I will be a relatively free man and we can go our separate ways, until then, I will fight by your side and see this shit through to the end."

"Thank you." Harry said as he extended his arm and Pyrites grasped his hand as he had done when he had helped Harry up in the crater the week before. After a moment Harry released the Death Eater's hand and turned to his friends.

"It is time to end this and free the Fire Nation from tyranny."

With that Harry turned and began to walk towards the front doors of the Royal Palace where 5 and a half years ago he had arrived seeking sanctuary, now he sought to enter the Palace to liberate the Fire Nation. Harry did not have to look back to know that his friends and allies where walking into the dragon's den with him. The confrontation with Hermione was almost at hand, they just had to get to her first. The last fight in the Liberation of the Fire Nation was about to begin.

 **Well this was actually done within my 24 hour margin of error so it is technically on time. Sorry this is long for a filler chapter, the next few are pure action so that should make up for this chapter, I think. The last few chapters are on their way, we are about a month shy of completing Book 2. The next 2 chapters will deal with the final action so get ready, the final confrontation is just around the corner.** **That's all for this post chapter note. A** ** **s always** ** ** ** ** **keep letting me know what you think of this story in the reviews and any questions asked in reviews or PMs to me will be answered at the start of next week's chapter, whenever it is released. Until next week.************

 ** ** ** ** ** **Stringdog************


	28. Chapter 28

**Here is the 28th chapter in Book 2. This is the first of the 2 part, final battle arc, though there are a few more chapters afterwards that tie up Book 2.** ** **N** ** ** ** ** **othing else to add here so sit back and enjoy the latest installment in Avatar: The Tale of Harry. Book 2: Equality.************

 ** ** ** ** **Disclaimer:********** ** ** **As always I own nothing related to either of these two great works of fiction.******

 **Chapter 28**

Harry and the others slowly approached the front door to the Palace. The time for victory was upon them, Harry knew it. As they reached the door, Harry looked over his team, Seamus and Pyrites. They really had no idea what they would encounter once they entered other than violent resistance from the most loyal of Hermione's supporters. Harry didn't want to kill but he knew that more blood would be shed before Hermione was confronted.

"Right, according to Dennis we know that there are 20 of the most fanatical Chosen inside." Harry said to his team. "And that they will all fight to the death to protect her as they are her most die hard followers."

"We sure his info is accurate?" Seamus asked. "It is still strange to me that we have to trust a Chosen, they were notorious liars because they believed all of Hermione's bullshit. I knew Dean so I could trust him, but I barely know Dennis."

"Yes we can." Harry said firmly. "I retracted my boots when Dennis began speaking to check his story just in case he was lying and trying to deceive us into dropping our guard and he at least believes he is telling the truth. We should be careful just in case, who knows what Dennis's standing currently is after the last battle."

"Agreed." Ron said. "Pyrites, you would be the man to ask. What is your advice regarding fanatics given that you were one?"

"I never said I was a fanatic, I just agree wholeheartedly with all of the Dark Lord's philosophies." Pyrites reminded them. "And I think the fact that when I was cornered. Remember I surrendered peacefully, in this very building, the very room we will likely find Hermione in, and cooperated to save my own ass is proof enough that I am not a fanatic. A fanatic like Bellatrix or Barty Crouch Jr. would, and ultimately did, die rather than surrender to the authorities. I do understand fanatics though as I dealt with many during my Death Eater days, both within our ranks and the Purists who wanted to become Death Eaters. They will fight to the death, there will be no reasoning with them, and they will not surrender even when wounded. I do recommend killing them outright as soon as we encounter them and not trying to reason with the mudbloods but that is just me."

"Well here are the orders." Harry said assessing what Pyrites had told them. "Always offer them the chance to surrender just in case and then wait for them to attack first, that ensures that we always act in self-defense. I know you will want to attack first and ask questions later Pyrites but we do have to make sure that everything is justifiable. At least this time, you are on the side of justice and the light, so Pyrites, we have rules to follow."

"I accept Avatar." Pyrites said seriously. "But only because I am so close to freedom that I will not fuck it up. However, Avatar, I will fight to kill not capture, I don't pull my punches."

"Understood." Harry said with a nod. "At this point we all fight to kill and hope to only wound so we can arrest them, hence the platinum cuffs we all carry. Right, let's finally get this shit over with."

Harry placed his hand on the metal door and found the locking mechanism with ease. Of course the door had been locked, Hermione wouldn't let them just walk in and take off her throne peacefully. Sending out a wave of earthbending, Harry confirmed that there were two Chosen on the other side of the door. One was an earthbender with a rock primed, the other a waterbender with a water whip ready. They had clearly figured out that there was impending attack and were prepared to defend the Palace from Harry and his team.

"2 Chosen standing at the ready in the hallway on the other side." Harry said quietly to the others. "One earth, one water. Ron, Ginny as soon as I open the door I want both of you to send knives at them, there is no time to order a surrender for these two. They are about 20 yards down the hallway and directly behind each door. Try not to kill them if possible."

The Southern Water Tribe siblings nodded to Harry and took their positions behind Harry. Closing his eyes again, Harry found the lock and turned it. With a quick and violent push Harry opened the door, hard enough to crash into the walls and leave distinctive marks. Druzok was going to have to live with the damage that was about to occur inside his Palace.

As soon as the door was open, a pair of knives flew over his shoulders, followed almost immediately by another two knives. There were two grunts of pain, a splash and a thud of rock hitting marble. Instantly the team moved in to find the two Chosen slumped on the floor of the entrance hall. Harry closed the doors and locked them behind them as Ron and Ginny moved forward to check on the fallen Chosen.

"One's dead." Ron called back to Harry. "I misjudged the woman's height and caught her throat and not shoulder, which is what I was aiming for. She bled out instantly, other knife was a miss, tell Druzok I'm sorry for the large gash in whichever priceless tapestry I just ruined. The second Chosen is wounded. Took knife to the gut, the other sliced off part of his ear. Ginny is cuffing him now and healing him enough so that he doesn't bleed out."

"As good as could be expected." Harry said with a sign. "At least one of these two fuckers will face justice for his crimes."

"How many are there?" Luna asked Harry. "Your seismic sense should have the range to see the whole Palace, Harry. Or at the very least to reach the throne room."

"Of course, dunno why I didn't think of that." Harry said slapping his forehead with his hand. He had been so focused on getting to Hermione that he had forgotten to do a simple check.

"Nargles." Luna said automatically as if it was normal.

"Er is she ok?" Pyrites asked giving Luna a sideways glance.

"Just go with it." Ron said as he came back to the group. "We all do."

"Er ok." Pyrites said still looking confused, as did Seamus. "So, Avatar, how many are in the Palace?"

"5 in the throne room." Harry said closing his eyes as he focused on the vibrations he used to 'see' with his feet. "One on the throne, almost certainly Hermione, and 4 in front of the dais. There are 4 more outside the throne room. 2 in a large gallery room in the center of the Palace that I think is the portrait gallery. Other than those 10, there are 2 by the Agni Kai chamber, 2 in the royal spa and the other 4 roaming the corridors upstairs as I can't see them on this floor."

"I say we take the mudbloods out first then deal with their queen." Pyrites said cracking his knuckles and giving them all a cold grin as everyone stared at him. "What? It's a conditioned word alright, it's hard to break the habit and frankly I don't give enough shits to break said habit."

"It is a good idea." Ron said without reluctance. "If we capture Hermione first we could face the resistance on the way out. Best to take care of the Chosen who were assigned to protect her first, then deal with Hermione once it's only her left. No chance of a problem on the way out once this is all over this way."

"Ok well we are going to have to split up then." Harry said looking over his team. "Neville and Luna you go and deal with the two by the Agni Kai arena. Ron, Seamus you go and deal with the two by the royal spa. Pyrites you will have to go alone and deal with the two in the portrait gallery, I am sure you can handle that without a problem. Meanwhile Ginny and I will go upstairs and find the other 4 roving Chosen. Once you have taken care of them, and please try to take them alive if possible, meet outside the throne room. Only engage the 4 outside the throne room if you feel you can take them, otherwise wait for the rest of us before engaging."

"Understood." The others all said in unison.

"Why the specific groups?" Neville asked curiously.

"Because you, Seamus and Pyrites all know the palace well through your connections to Iroh and the times you have no doubt been here." Harry pointed out. "And I can see with my feet and navigate using the marble floors above. When we were here 5 years ago, we were led everywhere and I know that I did not get my bearings during the entire time we were here."

"What about the dungeons?" Luna asked. "Is Izra there."

"There is only one cell occupied down there." Harry said focusing his vibrations downwards for a moment. "And one guard standing outside it. We can let Druzok deal with that when we are done, he will want to be the one to rescue his sister. Right let's go."

The others nodded and they began to walk down the corridor. Along the way Harry noted that while Hermione had stripped the nation of nobility she had kept the trappings of wealth in the museum quality palace. The ornate vases, statues, exquisite tapestries, including one depicting a scene from history that Ron had now ruined, were all still on display in the Palace.

At the end of the hallway they split up with Pyrites continuing forward, Neville and Luna going to the right, Ron and Seamus to the left. Harry and Ginny headed to the stairs nearby and began to climb them. Harry knew that the other 4 Chosen on the upper floors, he just didn't know precisely where they were.

Harry and Ginny headed upstairs and tried to keep as silent as possible. The Palace may have had a marble floor but once they were upstairs it was mostly wood with only a few areas of marble. Harry couldn't see with his seismic sense, at least not as well as he would have liked given the limited earthen material, so they would have to look around the whole floor in order to find the 4 Chosen assigned to the upper levels. However, Harry had an idea of where to start.

"Do you remember where the royal bedchamber is?" He asked his fiancé.

"Nope but our chambers were in the northern wing so I assume that it will be somewhere in the center of the Palace but where there is a good view of the city." Ginny said. "Why? Do you think she uses the Chosen as fuck slaves or something."

"No I wouldn't be surprised if Hermione was still a virgin." Harry said with a laugh. "She is addicted to power, that's likely what turns her on. Then again, Leach was a suspected pedophile so who knows, might explain why Hermione got so messed up but that is for a psychologist to deal with, not us."

"True and who would want to fuck her these days anyway." Ginny said with a brief nod. "All she'll do is order you how to do it, bit of a turn off in my opinion."

"Very much so but I think they would be there to protect her while she slept just in case an assassin somehow managed to get in." Harry said as they continued to walk down the hallway. "Though she no doubt lied about a few attempts on her life to giver sympathy points knowing Hermione. False attacks and crimes are a hallmark of the political extremes these days, Voldemort used the false flag policy a lot during the First Purity War in order to get benders on his side, according Jinora at lease. Anyway, I'm surprised she kept all the wealth here."

"Likely because this is what Hermione coveted growing up." Ginny said simply. "She may believe she is destined to lead, but greed is a powerful motivator. Why should she starve and be poor like those who she forces her views on, she is the leader after all and rank hath its privileges."

"Don't you dare insult Empress Hermione the Savior." An angry voice yelled at them from a nearby corridor. Harry turned just in time to deflect a fireball into a stone pillar as two firebending Chosen appeared at the end of the corridor. "For that treasonous comment you will die. Though we may keep the whore for ourselves first before killing her."

"Well I guess there's no point in offering these assholes the chance to surrender." Harry said with a shrug.

"Nope and it would be a waste of breath anyway." Ginny said as she extinguished a second fireball that had been sent at her with a simple blast of water from her water skin. "Course these fuckers want me, they always do. Let's take them down my love and then move on. These pieces of shit will hardly be a challenge for us."

Harry just nodded as he sent a blast of air at the one who had spoken. The airbending put out his jet of flame and sent him tumbling back down the corridor as it struck him in the chest. The other was exchanging shots with Ginny so Harry left them to it.

As Harry ran down the hall, leaping onto and off the wall to avoid another fire blast from his opponent, he saw that they were near a set of glass windows that overlooked the mansion district. Sending another blast of air at the firebender to keep him off guard, Harry reached out and took hold of the sand in the glass. This glass was purer than most but he had perfected the technique over the last few weeks so he could easily shatter the glass with his bending. Pulling the shards into a storm of glass around him Harry sent them down the corridor at the Chosen.

"What the fuck!" The other man exclaimed, his eyes wide at the glass approached him. "No one can bend glass."

His shock had meant that he didn't even try to use his bending to defend himself. As such, that was the last thing he ever said as he was peppered by shards of glass. Staggering back from the multiple blows, the Chosen fell backwards and landed in a bloody heap on the floor. Harry ran to check but the blank gaze in the man's eyes and the deep cut on his neck that was still bleeding slightly confirmed to Harry that he had hit an artery. He still need to work on the new subbending art to avoid shit like this by now was not the time to worry about that. Turning, Harry saw Ginny cuffing the unconscious Chosen to the bottom rail of a tapestry fixture, the remnants of a block of ice around him.

"Fool went for all out attack at the same time as yours did." Ginny said as she melted the water and returned it to her water skin to make sure she didn't lose too much water. "Blinded him with some mist then sent an ice block at his head. These Chosen aren't the brightest or best but what would expect from Hermione's most fanatical supporters."

"Well at least we caught one." Harry said as they turned and left the two defeated Chosen. "It's a little hard to see where to aim with glass so the other one didn't make it."

"Them or us as always." Ginny said with a shrug. "Come on, there should still be two more fanatics on this floor. We need to find the royal bedchamber."

Harry nodded and they continued through the extravagant hallways. It took them a few minutes but they eventually came to the royal bedchamber and just as they expected there were two Chosen standing guard outside the chamber. One wore the yellow camouflage of an airbender Chosen, the other wore purple which Harry knew meant that she hailed from the United Republic and her bending would be unknown until she used it.

"Freeze, you are trespassing in a restricted area." The airbender said with as much authority as he could manage. "Take another step and we will arrest you for treason, this is the Empress's private quarters where she meditates and comes up with the enlightened laws that govern the Fire Utopia. It is in here that she makes our glorious nation it into the pinnacle of equality and enlightenment that makes it the envy of the world. Soon all nations will follow Empress Hermione the Savior's enlightened laws and the world will finally be balanced and equal, just like the Fire Utopia."

"You realize that the world already had equal rights protections before the Hermione's bastardization of them, right?" Harry said as he and Ginny approached cautiously, both ready to defend and counter at a moment's notice. "And you are an Air Nomad, they always embrace all people no matter what they believe. Equality existed before Hermione ruined it and it will be restored after I defeat her."

"I don't tolerate intolerance." The airbender spat. "The Air Nation accepted those who shouldn't have the right to speak, those who preached hate have no right to speak. The laws do not protect all citizens and any who says they do is ignorant, just like you. Only here do we have equality of outcome, as it should be, rather than your intolerant and false notion of equality of opportunity. Surrender or be killed, your choice."

"I take it there is no point in telling you that the entire Palace is surrounded by both the United Forces and the reconstituted Fire Nation Royal Army." Harry said nonchalantly. "Or that Druzok is back to claim his rightful place as Firelord, that the United Forces and the Fire Nation Royal Army are here and all that is left is at this point 16 fanatics and a delusional power mad bitch. Then again, given your recent statement, I highly doubt that you will surrender."

"For that insult alone you will be sent to the labor camps for life." The female Chosen snarled. "That is if you aren't publicly executed as you should be. We will not yield to the authority of tyrants like Druzok or the Avatar. Our glorious Empress will see us through this and show the world that we are the only equal and tolerant nation in the world, by force if necessary."

"Wow I think the Death Eaters were smarter Harry." Ginny said to him. "And I'm not talking about the actual smart ones like our own tamed Death Eater downstairs, but morons like Crabbe and Goyle."

"How dare you insult us." The woman screamed. "For that you will die. For the Enlightened Empress and the glory of the Fire Utopia."

The female Chosen proceeded to send a series of metal shards at Harry from under her sleeves marking her as a metalbender. Harry smirked as he intercepted them and in a graceful movement he spun them around himself and back at the surprised metalbender. They all caught the surprised woman in the chest but Harry heard the telltale dings of metal on metal and knew she had armor on underneath. That wouldn't save her however, only doom her.

Harry then jabbed his fingers forward and sent a bolt of lightning at the woman as she staggered back from her own metal shards, alive but bleeding from a series of cuts caused by the deflecting shards hitting unprotected areas. The bolt caught the wounded Chosen in the center of her chest and the metal chest plate conducted it with ease. With a scream of pain, the metalbender was thrown back and through the wooden doors to the royal bedchamber. Her lifeless body continued to fly backwards as it went through the red silk curtains of the enormous bed and bounced of the mattress and into the wall. The wall cracked but her body rebounded off it and onto the bed were it finally lay motionless, smoking slightly in death.

Harry turned to aid Ginny to see she had the fight well in hand. She had drawn her water into a ring around herself and had begun sending ice spikes at the airbender in rapid succession. He was dodging them and trying to return fire but not having any luck against Ginny'r repetitive onslaught, her years of training against Luna making her well versed in how most airbenders fought in one on one situations.

As soon as Ginny saw an opening, she ran forward and leapt in the air and spun in a barrel roll on a 45 degree angle using he momentum to speed up her attack before she launched it. The airbender foolishly stood still using Ginny's move to build a powerful air blast but before he could unleash it he stumbled back as 3 large ice spikes struck him. One in the shoulder, one in the chest and one in his lower right abdomen in a perfect diagonal line, the last one being a clean through and through. He didn't have time to look at the mortal wounds before he crumpled dead to the ground, blood and guts pooling around his body. Ginny called back her water and any she could recover back to her water skin and turned away from the grizzly scene.

"I'm down to about 50% water left." Ginny said as Harry too turned away from the dead bodies. "So if we find a bathroom on the way to helping the others, I need to dash in and refill it."

"Sounds good." Harry said as they began to head away from the fight. "This should be all upstairs let's get back to the others and see how they are getting along."

Ginny nodded as Harry and her ran down the hallway away from the royal bed chamber and the two dead bodies in search of stairs. 6 of the Chosen were already taken care of, that just left 14 and Hermione before this was finally over. Harry hoped that his friends were having as much success as they were in neutralizing Hermione's exterior guards.

* * *

Neville led Luna towards the indoor Agni Kai chamber in the Palace. He wasn't a fan of the fire duels that other nobles engaged in but his gran had made sure he had seen them so he knew what they were and how to fight one just in case he was ever challenged to one when he took over his family's title. His father had fought several though never as the challenger, but the one being challenged and Lord Frank had never lost an Agni Kai, something that Neville was proud of.

They rounded a corner and came into the Agni Kai arena and almost ran into the two Chosen standing there waiting for them. Luna reached instantly and sent a blast of air sending the pair back to the other end of the arena forcing them to back flip out of the way of the attack but not meant to harm them. As the two Chosen recovered from the sudden attack, Neville noted that both were female. One was an earthbender based on the green camouflage fatigues she was wearing, the other wore the red pattern denoting a firebender. They were in the Fire Nation so most would be firebenders Neville assumed.

"Who the fuck are you?" the earthbender said as she stomped up a large rock from the floor and glared at them with hate in her eyes.

"Well I am Luna and this is Neville." Luna said helpfully in a sweet tone and a wide smile on her face. "We are two of the five members of Team Avatar and we are here to arrest you and your mad cunt of a leader for treason, murder, crimes against humanity and countless other crimes that she has committed or ordered during her illegal reign of terror here. So if you would be so kind as to surrender peacefully we can be on our way to the throne room to restore Druzok to it, neither of us particularly want to harm you. There has been too much death and violence recently after all, no point in adding two more to that number."

"Fuck you terrorist, what makes you think we would listen to you." The firebender snarled. "We are Chosen, the elite of the elite, you stand no chance against us and the Empress will see that the invading forces are repelled, it is you who have lost. The fact that you have gotten this far is impressive, but y'all won't get much further."

"Honey, the Capital has fallen and the Fire Nation has already been restored." Luna said with a sweet smile. "The military defected and the Enforcers and Chosen outside have all been arrested. Y'all in here are all that is left of the Fire Utopia so do yourselves a favor and quit while you have a chance at avoiding a possible death in this chamber today. We may even be inclined enough to persuade Druzok to not to push for a sentence of life without parole in the Supermax Prisons for you two, but life with parole after er how many years Neville?"

"Er at least 35, likely 40." Neville said with a shrug, he was still focused on the two Chosen waiting for them to attack. "Depending on how cooperative they are with tracking down the criminals who have not been arrested today that is."

"Fuck you." The firebender said angrily. "We will prevail no matter what and we will not surrender to tyrants like Druzok, we only listen to the rightful leader of the Fire Utopia in particular and the world in general, Empress Hermione the Savior."

"Well we offered." Neville said looking at Luna. "I guess now we let them attack first and defend ourselves as we see fit."

"Yup." Luna said with a nod. "Shame really seeing as we have faced bigger challenges back during the Second Purity War from the Death Eaters."

"Fuck you, we are the Chosen, we are the best benders." The earthbender yelled. "Chosen by Raava herself to have bending. Die for your treason and hate you fucking wankers."

"Why do those who claim hate against them have the most hate of all?" Luna mused idly.

"Not the right time for philosophical pondering Luna." Neville said as he detached his lightning rod and primed it.

The earthbender howled in rage and threw the rock at Neville before Luna could answer. Neville responded by blasting it apart with a bolt of lightning from the rod and began to run at the earthbender sending blasts of fire from his off hand to keep her off balance and ensure that her attacks went wide.

As he neared, Neville jumped into the air and used fire jets to increase his speed as he flew towards the earthbender. As he approached her, Neville extinguished his fire and pivoted in the air so that his heel connected with the side of the woman's head, avoiding a boulder in the process, and she dropped unconscious and likely concussed to the floor of the arena.

Neville landed hard on his ass and dropped his lighting rod, having misjudged his height but he quickly recovered and rolled the unconscious Chosen onto her front and cuffed her with one of the sets of platinum cuffs he had equipped on his belt before they had left the ship. He looked over to see Luna comfortably dealing with her own opponent.

Luna easily avoided the fire blasts coming from the woman as she sent a waist high arc of air at the firebender. The woman ducked to avoid it but the distraction had allowed Luna to set her feet and she began to move her arms in the complex movement she had created 6 years ago. As the Chosen rose, the oxygen vortex formed around her entire body and began to suck air out of the area the Chosen was in.

Given her still weakened shoulder, it took even more effort than usual for Luna to keep the attack focused but as the Chosen stood the oxygen content wasn't enough to create a sustainable flame but she could still move more than people usually could when Luna did the move. Neville saw this and taking a deep breath he entered the vortex behind the woman and used the lightning rod as the extendable baton it had once been to crack the Chosen on the back of the head and knock her out. As she fell unconscious to the earth Luna ended her attack and fell to her knees panting while Neville cuffed the unconscious Chosen.

"Fuck me in the ass, cunt and mouth all at the same time that was hard." Luna said as she regained her breath but didn't rise from the floor. "Almost as hard as Ron's cock was in the shower this morning. I'm still a little too weak for something so complex and taxing."

"Come on Luna let's go to the throne room and help the others." Neville said at the classic Luna reaction and ignoring it as always. "We'll go a little slowly so you can recover along the way. These fuckers won't be going anywhere anytime soon so we can leave them here for whoever is on cleanup duty to pick up and take to the dungeons."

Neville helped his airbender friend to her feet and together they walked out of the Agni Kai arena and back into the Palace, maintaining a slower pace than usual so that Luna could recover her energy. There was still more fighting to do before the day was up and Neville hoped his friends were doing as well as they were with their assigned opponents.

* * *

"This way." Seamus said as he lead Ron towards the royal spa. "There ought to be a small pool of water there if I remember correctly from when my ma told me of the room. It's open to members of the Fire Assembly so she used it from time to time."

"Excellent." Ron said with a wicked grin as he detached his hammer from his belt. "That will be all I need. It's always good to have a source of water that isn't my water skin, means I can keep that for when I need it most."

In short order they came to a set of ornate doors and Seamus blew them apart with a bolt of lightning not caring about the value of the gold and wooden doors. Inside was the ornate spa with the golden statues and a small pool of water flowing from a craved dragon's mouth. Standing inside were two startled looking Chosen. One an earthbender, the other an airbender, both of whom had just been relaxing as if nothing was going to happen to them.

"Interesting place for them to whole up." Ron commented idly as the Chosen recovered and took fighting stances.

"Likely they guard Hermione when she wants to get pampered while the people of the Fire Nation suffer beneath her oppressive boots." Seamus said darkly. "You know when she is not suppressing free speech, arresting those who oppose her, silencing critics with long prisons sentences that work them to death, and murdering legitimate rulers that is."

"Empress Hermione the Savior is the best thing to ever happen to the world." The airbender said with venom in his voice. "How dare you spread such treasonous lies about her. For that you will be punished severely."

"So I can assume you won't surrender peacefully then." Ron said hefting the hammer while making sure he had hold of the water in the pool with his mind. "Despite the fact that you are literally all that is left of the Fire Utopia and soon your precious Empress will be in chains and facing the justice she so richly deserves."

"Fuck you." The earthbender snarled. "The Fire Utopia will never fall. Die cocksuckers."

With that he stomped up a boulder and Ron and Seamus attacked. Ron pulled up a stream of water from behind the airbender that grabbed him by the shoulders and lifted him up with a startled yelp. Ron used the water to throw him face first into the nearby wall. He stayed there for a moment before falling back and landing on the ground in an unconscious heap though Ron was pretty sure he heard something break in the airbender's body from the attack. Regardless, Ron quickly ran over and flipped the man onto his front and roughly cuffed him with a set of platinum cuffs.

While Ron had done this, Seamus sent a bolt of lightning at the earthbender before he could throw the boulder. It caught him clean in the chest and sent him back into the far wall as the boulder crashed harmlessly to the ground. The Chosen fell forward and face planted into the small pool with a splash. The lack of gurgling confirmed that he had not survived the lightning strike.

"Well we got one." Ron said as he looked at Seamus. "Come on Seamus, let's get to the throne room and wait for the others."

"Yeah we ought to be the nearest." Seamus agreed as they left the spa and ran to where the throne room was. Ron was glad that his assignment had been a short and easy one, he doubted the others had been as lucky as he and Seamus had been.

* * *

Pyrites ran to the royal portrait gallery. It was one of his favorite rooms in the palace as it showed the history of the Firelords in all their glory. While he may not have liked the last 3 Firelords as they had all been blood traitors he did respect their power. Also the expensive and exquisite tapestries of them did play to his refined tastes. As he ran forward, Pyrites was tempted to try and acquire a few of the priceless artifacts in the palace that he had always coveted but resisted the urge. He had a mission to finish and then he could retire to the lap of luxury for the rest of his life, not point in risking all that over a little petty theft.

As such, Pyrites continued and soon he came to the portrait gallery and looked around. The tapestries of past Firelords had not been removed, even the one of a gray haired Iroh standing to attention in his United Forces uniform with a fleet behind him that the last Firelord had used. Clearly Hermione had decided to keep the tapestries for some unknown reason. However, at the far end, and behind the two Chosen he had been told would be here, was an enormous tapestry of the Fire Empress that dwarfed everything else in the room.

It showed Hermione in exquisite detail and in full regalia, medals and crown as well. A fireball was in one hand, a scroll in the other and a large Raava hovered behind her a tendril touching the mudbloods head. It must have taken years to complete and a lot of slave labor given the standard punishment for crimes committed under Hermione, though it was classified as hard labor punishment and not slave labor despite being the same thing. Pyrites couldn't help feeling disgusted at the sight of a clearly inferior bender looking so powerful but it was precisely the thing that Hermione would create, her ego was larger than the tapestry that Pyrites was still looking at.

Pyrites's eyes were drawn from the tapestry when he saw that the two Chosen noticed him and had began to walk forward. One was a man who wore purple fatigues showing he was from the United Republic and concealing his bending. The other was a woman in a gray camouflage design that Pyrites had not seen before but instantly assumed denoted her as a metalbender.

Smiling Pyrites reached behind his back and drew the pair of wicked, curved, serrated knives he always kept there, the same pair he'd used one of to slit the throat of the Chosen who had claimed his mansion a week ago. It was time for some fun and mudblood killing.

"Well well well, what do we have here." The woman said in a cruel voice though given the fact that Pyrites had heard Bellatrix speak, this woman was nothing compared to that insane bitch.

"Looks like a terrorist and assassin trying to take out our benevolent Empress." The man said as he cracked his knuckles and his neck with anticipation. "I'm going to enjoy pulverizing this fucker into red paste."

"Look cunts, I have to tell you to surrender and that we have you surrounded and that the mudblood bitch who sits upon the Firelord's throne will face the justice she so richly deserves in a matter of moments." Pyrites said in a bored tone causing the two to falter at his language, their eyes narrowing as they glared at him. "But that's only to cover my own ass from a murder charge that would void my sweet as fuck deal for freedom. Now let's get this shit on bitches. I'm going to enjoy killing you. It's always a pleasure killing mudbloods and supporters of the inferior nonbenders who incorrectly believe that those animals are equal to us benders."

"I didn't think the traitorous Avatar associated with Death Eaters." The woman said slightly confused but not relaxing at all. "Or Purists or whatever you are, you intolerant racist asshole. He may be a racist, elitist, bigot but he at least stopped Voldemort."

"Well I am all of those and much more." Pyrites smiled which did cause the mudbloods to falter and look shocked. "I'm the only Death Eater you will ever meet who will admit to all that. Though we are a dying breed as there are only 9 of us left alive and other than me and a defector at the Elemental Academy the other 7 are incarcerated in the White Lotus Supermax Prisons for the rest of their lives. As for the Avatar, well he needed my skills to get in so he offered me a deal I couldn't pass up given that it promised me my freedom after only 5 years in prison. Over that time I have grown to respect him even if we disagree on just about everything important, other than what massive fucking cunts y'all are that is. So, which of you fucks want to die first?"

"I'm going to disembowel you and piss on you entrails." The woman snarled.

"Right you first then." Pyrites said with a cruel grin. "Oh I am so going to enjoy this."

Before either could respond Pyrites ran at the pair. The purple clad one revealed himself to be an earthbender as he summoned up a large boulder from the earth beneath the marble and hurled it at Pyrites. The spymaster easily dodged it and a series of metal spike sent at him by the metalbender in the boulders wake. They were trained, but their skills were no where near a match for a man of Pyrites's talents.

As he neared the metalbender, Pyrites feigned left then went right and past her. As he passed her, he stabbed her with the knife in his left hand just below her navel and ripped up savagely before pulling the blade out before it caught on her ribs, that would have caused problems if Pyrites had let that happen. She screamed in pain as he disemboweled her, his knife devastating the woman's intestines and killing her before she, and her insides, hit the cracked marble floor.

As soon as he was past her, Pyrites launched himself at her partner using fire jets from his feet to gain speed and a little height. As Pyrites approached the man, he used the curve of the left blade to latch onto the man's jaw and as he pulled himself around the man, and while still in the air he used his right blade to rip out the screaming man's throat, silencing him. Pyrites landed his move in a crouch and skidded across the smooth marble floor on the other side of the man as the earthbender spun away with a spray of arterial blood all over the room and fell dead to the ground.

Standing and walking to the fallen man he cleaned his bladed on his clothes before sheathing them and turning to the dead woman. The gore didn't bother the hardened Death Eater but he did make sure not to step in it after he had damaged the soles of his boots with his fire jets.

"You know I did like that piss idea I think I'll steal it." Pyrites said to her dead body. "I've been holding this since I snuck into the city this morning so that I could meet the Avatar in front of the Palace."

Pyrites walked around her, unzipped his fly, pulled his cock out, and pissed on the woman's still warm intestines. Sighing in relief Pyrites shook himself clean, put himself away, and zipped up before leaving the bodies where they were and running towards the throne room leaving a trail of blood footprints on the carpet as he ran towards the throne room to rejoin the others.

* * *

As soon as Pyrites neared the throne room, he saw Ron and Seamus in the corner looking down at the 4 guards by the door. All were men. One wore blue, another gray, a third red and the last yellow. They had all the elements represented between them though the earthbender was a metalbender specialist.

"Y'all just get here." Pyrites whispered when he arrived causing the pair to jump slightly.

"Yeah right after we dealt with our two." Ron said as he looked over the bloody but uninjured Pyrites. "I assume your two didn't make it."

"One suffered from a case of out of body intestines and the other came down with a slit throat." Pyrites said as he examined his nails for blood. "Both legit and yes, they didn't survive their ailments. Now let's take these fuckers out. Between the three of us we shouldn't have a problem."

"You know we should offer them the chance to surrender first." Ron pointed out.

"Have any done so so far." Pyrites countered.

"Nope." Ron said thinking before quietly exclaiming. "Fuck I think you are rubbing off on me asshole, very well let's deal with them quickly and efficiently. We do have to get to the throne room and they are in the way, rules of engagement state that we can kill them without a surrender order. We'll do this your way Pyrites."

"I do my best Prince Ron." Pyrites said with a smirk. "And I always get my way."

Ron just shook his head and pushed past the Death Eater and into the corridor. Pyrites took a position to his right and Seamus to his left. As he walked he let his hammer hang loosely in his right hand. The 4 Chosen stiffened as soon as they saw them.

"Freeze you are under…" The firebender began before Ron threw the hammer and sped it up by bending the hammer's water core.

The hammer connected with the man's gut doubling him over, before any could respond Ron spun the hammer into the air and then brought it down on the back of the firebender's head pile driving his face into the unyielding marble and killing him in a gruesome display. Ron had seen a lot in his life, but this was by far the most disturbing death he had caused.

"We know, we know." Ron said with a long sigh as he swung the hammer into the side of the waterbender's head before he could register that his comrade was dead. "We are under arrest for treason and trying to take out the Fire Empress and that the Fire Utopia will not fall and all that garbage that you brainwashed fucks sprout whenever we face off with y'all. Personally I am fed up with all this bullshit. It's over, deal with it."

As Ron swung the hammer towards the metalbender, the two still standing Chosen finally reacted to the threat. The metalbender sent a series of spikes at them before just stopping the hammer from caving in his face with his metalbending and entering a battle of wills with Ron.

Ron heard a gasp of pain from his left and knew that Seamus had been hit but he didn't have time to register the situation given his battle with the metalbender. It also meant that Ron ignored the sudden sharp pain on his left shoulder as he felt warm blood trickle down his arm from a clean cut one of the spike had given him on the way past. Ron had more important shit to deal with than a minor flesh wound. Fortunately, he was not alone.

Pyrites had jumped into the fight almost as soon as Ron had and had sent a bolt of lightning at the airbender but the Chosen dodged it, leaving a scorch march on the throne room door. Despite the dodge, the area wasn't large enough for an airbender and the Chosen proceeded to fall over his firebender comrade's body. Pyrites used his stumble to shift his aim to the metalbender and sent a second bolt of lightning into the other Chosen's chest, killing him.

The body was thrown back against the throne room doors and Ron felt the will leave as his hammer slammed into the wall. Pulling it out Ron sent it back and into the head of the airbender as he rose killing him instantly. As soon as all 4 were dead Ron recalled his bloody hammer, dropped it, and turned to Seamus.

The leader of the Green Brigade had his hand to his side showing a deep but treatable gash there that Ron quickly cleaned and healed as best he could leaving a scar, before Ron healed his own still bleeding cut. The other injury though was a spike to the knee that Ron had no hope of fixing.

"Seamus I am going to have to leave that there." Ron said shaking his head. "You need a professional healer for that, I don't think Ginny will be able to help either at the moment."

"Yeah you will likely have a slight limp for the rest of your life." Pyrites said looking at it and giving his usual tactless response. "Wilkes took a similar spike to his knee when his team liberated the Waterbending Supermax Prison and despite Narcissa's best efforts, he still limped a little for the short time he lived after that before he tried to take on the Avatar and died like the idiot that he was."

"Thanks." Seamus said with a grunt of pain as Ron helped him to feet. "I'll be fine, I should have seen the attack coming."

Just then Harry and Ginny followed by Neville and Luna arrived. Harry surveyed the scene and looked at the wounded Seamus and shook his head.

"I told y'all to weight but at least these 4 are taken care of." Harry said as he looked at the dead bodies. "Pyrites, take Seamus out and get him to a healer. You have done your job and honored your deal but from this point on it is down to Team Avatar. Ginny, double check that Ron has healed himself correctly, I want all of us at peak efficiency for the upcoming fight."

"Understood Avatar." Pyrites said as he and Harry once again clasped hands while Ginny began to fret over Ron's recently healed wound. "As much as we disagree, it was an honor to fight by your side to earn my freedom. Come Leprechaun, I'll get you out."

"Great, my last act in this war is to be helped out by a convicted Death Eater while Hermione is brought to justice." Seamus grumbled as he put an arm around Pyrites shoulders and the spymaster helped him limp away.

"Make sure he gets treatment Pyrites." Harry called out to the retreating spymaster.

"Don't worry Avatar, I haven't come this far to fuck it all up at the last hurdle." Pyrites called back as he took Seamus around the corner and disappeared from sight before Harry could reply.

Harry sighed before turning to his friends, his team. At last they were but one door and 4 Chosen away from their goal of bringing Hermione to justice for her many crimes. The balancing of the Fire Nation was at hand.

"Come on guys." Harry said as he walked towards the throne room with purpose. "It's time to end this shit once and for all."

 **Sorry to end this on a little bit of a cliffhanger, I couldn't resist (plus it has been long enough already without adding another fight scene). As y'all can probably tell, the final fight scene is almost upon us, which means that the next chapter will have the long awaited duel between Harry and Hermione that will bring Team Avatar's mission to an end one way or another. That's all for this post chapter note, a** ** **s always** ** ** ** ** **keep letting me know what you think of this story in the reviews and any questions asked in reviews or PMs to me will be answered at the start of next week's chapter, which will be released on time. Until next week.************

 ** ** ** ** ** **Stringdog************


	29. Chapter 29

******Here is the 29th chapter in Book 2. Sorry this is a little late but I have been focusing on a 12 oneshots in 12 days challenge I set myself for my Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug and Cat Noir oneshot collection and that has been eating up my time this last week so I have been behind on editing this series but it will still come out as close to my usual upload day as possible. N****** ** ** ** ** ** ** **othing************** ** ** ** ** ** ** **else to add here so sit back and enjoy the latest installment in Avatar: The Tale of Harry. Book 2: Equality.**************

 ** ** ** ** **Disclaimer:********** ** ** **As always I own nothing related to either of these two great works of fiction.******

 **Chapter 29**

Harry walked to the large double doors that led to the throne room and ignoring the bodies, blood and shit that littered the floor in front of the impressive doors, Druzok could clean this up afterwards, and entered the Avatar State. Harry had decided to make a statement of power and authority when he entered the throne room in hopes of intimidating Hermione into a peaceful surrender against an opponent who was clearly better than her at bending. Alas, Harry didn't expect Hermione to surrender from it but he could hope that she would see reason for the first time in her life and he had to at least try. Raising his hands to the metal doors Harry took hold of the metal with his bending and pushed with all his power.

The doors were blown off their hinges and thrown into the room, smashing into the pillars and clattering to the floor in a twisted heap of metal and stone from the now damaged marble pillars. Harry exited the Avatar State and strode purposely in, followed by his friends, as they walked into the final fight of this war. Once he was in the throne room Harry erected an earth wall behind him to prevent any escape. The only way out of here for Hermione was either in chains, a body bag, or over his cold dead body, just as Harry had expected.

The assembly set up had been removed and most of the room was bare with a series of black marble pillars inlaid with gold designs that rose out of a black marble floor. For the first time in 6 years, Harry was face to face with Hermione once more. The last time he had seen the bitch she had tried to kill him with a surprise lightning attack and today would be no different from back then. It was going to be a duel between the two of them, only this time Harry was allowed to use lethal force if he wanted.

Hermione was sitting on the throne of the Firelord under it's usual canopy, having not flinched at Harry's display of power. Harry didn't know if it was arrogance or confidence that made Hermione immune to intimidation and he didn't care, this shit would end in moments one way or another, that was up to the bitch sitting on her stolen throne.

Flames were roaring in the gap that separated the Firelord's dais from the rest of the throne room thus making her the first ruler of the Fire Nation to formally use that function since Ozai. She was in full fire Empress regalia complete with her medals and crown. As Harry expected, Hermione had a look of pure hatred and murder on her face as she glared daggers at them. In front of the flames stood the last 4 fanatical Chosen, one for each element and all willing to die for Hermione.

"How dare you monsters, you tyrants, you fucking racist, intolerant, elitist, arrogant bigots dare enter and damage my throne room." Hermione screamed at them across the vast room as they slowly walked forward, keeping a wary eye out for possible traps or tricks. "You will all die for your multiple crimes. Surrender to your Empress and I will not make a public example of your executions, except for the Avatar of course but he deserves it. I am the enlightened Fire Empress of the Fire Utopia, the rightful ruler of both this nation and the world by virtue of my enlightened views, intellect and successful implementing equality for the first time in human history. I am the creator of equality, the bringer of enlightenment, the harbinger of social justice, and the executioner of tyrants. I will not allow the glorious nation I have created fall into the hands of tyrants once more. Surrender and prepare to die like the evil terrorists that you out."

"Hermione." Harry called out with a note of weariness and pleading in his voice.

He was tired of fighting and killing at every step of the way. The whole mission had been worse than the Voldemort Threat and he wanted to try and end it peacefully. Harry knew it wouldn't though, fanatics like Hermione did not surrender peacefully, no one willing to die for their beliefs ever did. He still had to try though, one last time.

"Please I implore you to give up." Harry said definitely pleading this time. "There is no way out this for you, you have lost. As we speak the forces of the United Republic and the restored Fire Nation military are taking control of the Capital and sweeping into the Palace to take away the last vestiges of your supporters. You and the 4 in front of you are all that is left of the Chosen and the Fire Utopia. There is no way out for you. Give up and surrender and save at least some face and maybe we will be lenient when you face justice. Please Hermione, hasn't enough blood already been shed, haven't enough people died because of your laws, views, polices and actions. You have become the tyrant that you swore to destroy, do the right thing for once, surrender peacefully and end this tyranny. Become what you preach by ending the tyrant that you have become. Don't make us have to fight and possibly kill you, we are tired of that. I ask, one last time, surrender and face justice."

"Justice." Hermione screamed, Harry could hear the madness in the word and knew that it was hopeless. Hermione would never see reason. "I am justice, I am enlightenment, I am equality, I am all that personified in one perfect and infallible being. I will never surrender to the false charges brought against me by tyrants, racists and haters who wish to destroy all that I have created here. I cannot face justice for I am innocent of any false crimes levied against me for I am Enlightened and above all laws, I make law, not break them. I have met out the justice the world should have done when I freed the Fire Utopia from the yoke of tyranny and the shackles of oppression that the Firelords used to enslave my nation. Only the Fire Utopia is truly free, only we have enlightened laws, only we have ended hatred, racism, intolerance, bigotry and all the other ills of the world. Only we have true equality and social justice in this world, only we can truly be called progressive. Do not blame me for I and I alone speak the truth. Now surrender to the enlightened Fire Empress and I will let your friends live out the rest of their lives making up for all their horrific crimes in the prison labor camps, they can experience the shackles of enslavement they have inflicted upon other for centuries. It is a punishment that is too good for them but if you surrender now I will show mercy, otherwise you will all be burnt alive at the stake in Freedom Square, the proper punishment for terrorists and traitors such as yourselves."

"And what about me?" Harry asked, interrupting Hermione's latest rant.

"You, you evil, traitorous piece of shit, are the Avatar and as such a different matter." Hermione spat with pure hatred in her voice. "You I hold to a higher standard because of what you represent in the world and how cruelly and evilly you betrayed it with your actions. I had expected you to come here to my throne and grovel at my feet and beg for mercy as you kissed my boot within a year of my ascension once you saw the progress I have made here and how right I was from the very beginning. I had expected that you would finally admit to all your crimes and sworn allegiance to me as your guide and sole voice of advice without question as you used your power and standing to make sure the world followed my enlightened laws."

"Your deluding yourself if you ever thought that I would do that." Harry said firmly, he was not going to stand here and let Hermione spew her bullshit about him without defending himself. "I fight evil, I restore balance, I do my job. I do not join evil, nor do I throw the world into imbalance the way you have."

"I am balance, I am all that is good in the world, how dare you insult me you fucker." Hermione screamed, she was quickly loosing it and Harry knew that Hermione had realized that she had lost her grip on power but was so deluded that she thought she could still regain it. "Then again I should have known that you wouldn't see the light. After all, I offered you the chance 6 years ago to make the world into a better place, all I asked of you was that you follow my enlightened views to the letter without ever questioning or challenging them for to do so constitutes hate, intolerance and treason. You foolishly denied me then, you foolishly refused to see the light in the years that I have successfully run the only truly equal and enlightened nation the world has ever seen, I will not give you that chance again. Surrender and face the righteous justice you so richly deserve and I will make your death as quick and painless as possible, a mercy you do not deserve in the slightest. Resist me once more and you will all suffer the consequences of those who dare to challenge the Enlightened."

"Well I guess there is no point in arguing with you or countering all your own hate and intolerance with facts, but then again you could never see your own hypocrisy." Harry said with a heavy sigh. "But then again, you were always about feelings and emotions and not cold hard facts or reasoning weren't you. So long as it made logical sense to you and corrected an actual or perceived injustice, that was enough."

It had been a long shot that Hermione would surrender without an issue but for legal and personal reasons Harry had to offer it and try to get her to see reason. He knew that this confrontation was inevitable, all previous Avatars' had been forced to fight their major foes so now he would do the same, again. One last fight and this war would be over.

"So be it." Harry continued in the same weary tone that he had had since entering the throne room. "I have offered you the chance to surrender, I offered you the chance before to avoid bloodshed but you have denied this and forced this upon yourself. Even if you do somehow beat me, you can't beat an entire army, let alone two. You will lose but if it is a fight then I will give you a fight. I offered you the easy way out and you chose the hard way, once you attack me, I will do everything in my power to stop you, even if I have to kill you. You had a chance to surrender peacefully but it is clear that you won't."

"I will never surrender to a tyrant and my people know that as well." Hermione yelled, almost attacking him then but restraining herself. It was a shame as Harry wanted to end this but if she wanted to tire herself out by ranting and raving at him, Harry wasn't going to stop her. "They stood by my decision not to face you as they knew you would cheat to win and then murder their only enlightened leader in cold blood so as to plunge them once more into tyranny and slavery. They died to prevent you from killing me, as any good and loyal citizen should, their blood on your hands, Avatar. No, you have come to murder me and end the only enlightened nation in the world so as to restore a tyrant to the throne. It is you who has forced, this not me. I am innocent of any wrongdoing for I am one of the Enlightened and cannot ever be wrong."

"The people?" Harry asked incredulously. "They have sided with us with overwhelming support as we marched on the Palace today. In fact, your decision to be a coward and hide here while your own citizens died for nothing in the worst battle this nation has ever known was so heinous that it caused the military and the few citizens who weren't fanatics still on your side to join us. Thanks to your cowardice you have doomed yourself. Your people died in vain because of a weak, pathetic and cowardly leader. You may have won the Battle of the Caldera but the cost was too high for you to pay cunt. You bought 8 days before I returned with an overwhelming force to ensure your defeat. Be a coward now and surrender, you know you will lose to me so do the right thing and surrender, coward."

"I am no coward, I am too valuable to die." Hermione yelled again, her madness was now in full force and uncontrollable, something Harry could easily exploit when the time came. "Go my Chosen, my most loyal of all and take these fucking traitors down. Kill the Avatar's accomplices if you want, but take the Avatar alive. Only I, will deliver the execution myself for I am the one who has done the job of the Avatar over the last 5 years not this intolerant bigot. You are Chosen, you were selected by Raava herself to have bending making you inherently the best. Show these purebloods that you are better than them. Do me proud."

"Team this battle is yours not mine." Harry said knowing the truth in his words as he took a step back marveling at the hypocrisy of Hermione denying being a coward and yet sending subordinates to fight and possibly die once more rather than fighting herself. They would have to take the four remaining Chosen out first before Harry could face Hermione. "Show them mercy and only kill if you absolutely have too. Remember we are better than them."

Team Avatar nodded as they stepped forward in a line and the fight began. Ron hurled his hammer at the earthbender as the man sent a huge rock at him. The hammer and rock collided with each other sending earth everywhere and sending Ron's hammer skidding away. As Ron threw he called forth his water and created an ice slide for himself and jumped onto it sliding feet first towards the earthbender, using the rock debris as a distraction.

As he was sliding, Ron drew his machete from his back and flipping it so the blunt side faced inwards he slashed sideways as he approached the Chosen. The earthbender had his legs taken out from under him before he could realize what had happened and fell on his side, a painful crack indicated a broken shoulder upon landing. Ron leapt up from his slide and kicked the man in the head knocking him out.

In a swift and practiced moved, Ron pulled out a pair of platinum cuffs, cuffed the downed Chosen and dragged him to the side and behind a pillar in time to avoid a cheap shot of fire at his back from Hermione. Once he was clear Ron ran back to Harry's side.

Ginny had come face to face with the airbender, a woman in her early 20s who Harry recognized as the one who had stood with Hermione before his test against her 6 years ago, Penelope or something if his memory served. The airbender had a look of hatred on her face as she sent blast after blast of air at Ginny who was forced to dodge as best she could from the onslaught. Ginny pulled out all her water from her water skin and sent a huge wave at the airbender. The airbender easily flipped over it as the water fizzed and evaporated on the hot flames in front of Hermione's throne.

However the attack had been a diversion to buy Ginny the time she needed. Before the airbender had landed, Ginny had thrown her Sais. Harry's fiance had replaced them while they had been hiding in the Capital for 2 months or so. Now, she threw them at the airbender. As the woman rose the two long, thin blade hit her in the chest almost simultaneously. She gasped as he body was thrown backwards from the impact before falling to the ground in a head. There was no doubt that the airbender Chosen was dead. Breathing heavily Ginny scurried back to join Harry's side.

Luna had been swifter in dealing with the firebender trying to incinerate her. As the woman bender ran at Luna sending a near continuous stream of fire at his blonde friend, Luna dived to the side and sent an airbending slice at the woman's legs, underneath the stream of fire. The Chosen had been so focused on Luna that she didn't notice and was tripped up by the attack. As she slammed into the marble floor, Luna rose and created a localized tornado of air that lifted the woman up and threw her into the nearest pillar with a bone breaking crack. The firebender fell unconscious to the floor where Luna ran over, dodging a few cheap shots from Hermione, and cuffed her before retreating to join Harry, Ron and Ginny, leaving just Neville and his waterbending opponent.

Neville was sending fire at his foe but the man quenched the blows with water from his water skin. Neville kept it up trying to force the man to run out of water but he countered every blow and Harry had a feeling that the man might be standing over a water grate or something similar. Harry watched as Neville sent a particularly intense blast at the man forcing him to call up more water to defend himself and causing a light mist from the evaporated water. As the man's vision was obscured by the steam, Neville raised his hands above his head and touched the tips of his first two fingers together and pulled down creating a ring of lightning that sparked into the air.

As Neville completed the circle he fired two bolts out at the waterbender who had just cleared the steam from his face, a twisted look of rage at Neville clear. The Chosen stood no chance. Both bolts slammed into him sending him high into the air screaming as his body flew back convulsing and slammed into the far wall before it fell lifeless to the floor of the dais. As with the others, an exhausted Neville retreated to join the rest of Team Avatar. As soon as he was there Harry took a step forward to a shocked Hermione a cold, hard look on his face.

"You monsters." Hermione yelled once she had overcome her shock at the attack. "You fucking monsters. You murdered two of my Chosen, two of the few who understood my true vision for the world and the enlightened laws I have created. People who understood that true balance and equality could only come from following me without question. You will all suffer for your crimes."

"Monster." Harry yelled back, the rage at Hermione's words boiling over and almost causing Harry to attack her right there and then. "You dare call me and my friends monsters when you sent them to kill us and I ordered my friends to try and avoid death as much as possible. We could have easily killed all 4 but we didn't. When we defeat you, we will arrest you so that you may face justice in a fair trial while you have already declared us guilty without due process and sentenced us to a death that was outlawed centuries ago because of how barbaric burning someone alive is. No bitch, it is you who are the monster not us."

"See you admit you wanted to kill them all but couldn't." Hermione yelled and even through the flickering flames, that got higher with Hermione's rage, Harry could see the madness in her eyes and knew there was no hope in arguing. "You are the monsters. They were following my legitimate, legal, orders as I am the only being in the world who can give such orders and you had them murdered or falsely arrested. You will pay for this treason against the Fire Empress."

"Hermione, this doesn't have to end with a fight." Harry said giving her one last chance to surrender despite knowing that it was futile. "Surrender, you have lost. Do you really want to try and fight the Avatar. I defeated Voldemort and he was a bloodbender greater than even Amon, if he can't beat me, no one can. What hope do you think you have against me? Please Hermione, end this now and you will certainly live."

"Never." Hermione yelled as she rose and ripped off her tunic and Flame of Enlightenment medal in what Harry assumed was a well practiced move but leaving her crown on. She wore only a black breast under it and Harry had to admit, she looked in good shape, not that it would save her in the end. "I will never bow to a tyrant. I am Chosen, I am Enlightened and I am the greatest firebender to ever live. I will finally show the world that indisputable fact today by defeating the Avatar. I gave you all the chance to surrender and submit to my fair and impartial justice but you have forced me to engage you in battle. So be it. Say goodbye Avatar, I will make sure to find your reincarnation and educate her properly, for under me she will be great unlike you. Under me she will know her place and be my greatest asset in ensuring equality and social justice throughout the world. Time to die Avatar Harry."

Hermione moved her arms in a complex movement Harry had not seen before and bent all the fire in front of her throne around her, scorching the throne in the process, before sending it at Harry in a flaming sideways tornado. Harry braced himself as he felt his friends retreat to the wall to be safe, and raised the arms to divert the flame around himself. Then he began to bend it around himself in a swirling spherical inferno, adding to it as Hermione poured more and more fire into it and making sure that none of it went near his friends. Once he felt the last vestiges of Hermione's attack leave her, likely having reached her bending limit, he sent it upwards and through the ceiling into the afternoon sky above the Palace where it dissipated as it lost heat. Fortunately the ceiling did not catch fire in the process.

Harry didn't have time to relax as Hermione had launched herself at him from the throne using fire jets to propel herself towards Harry, she had a lot more stamina than Harry had given her credit for which impressed him. He quickly raised and arm and bent an earth spire in her way. She was forced to divert her flight to avoid it and lose focus on Harry. As she did this, Harry sent a blast of air into her chest. That ended her flight and she was sent sideways into the marble floor and skidding painfully into the wall, avoiding all the pillars on the way.

However Hermione was either not that hurt from the impacts or so enraged that she felt no pain as she leapt up and charged at Harry sending a continuous stream of intense flame at him forcing him to step back as he diverted the flames around himself as she returned to the central isle of the throne room. Harry closed his eyes and dropped to a knee as he created an air bubble around himself to hold off the flames that Hermione was using to try and burn him to death. As he was on the ground, Harry realized he had not covered his feet after using his seismic sense and thus he could still 'see'. His feet were getting uncomfortably warm from the now heated marble but it was nothing that would cause Harry any significant injury. Inside the air bubble, Harry grinned, he had the bitch now.

As Hermione approached slowly, smiling at her expected victory, Harry bent the earth around her feet, locking her in place. Hermione didn't notice until it was too late and she fell forward from the sudden stoppage of her momentum while Harry made sure to keep the earth moving with Hermione so that she didn't break her ankles in the process. A tricky move but one Harry could do in his sleep.

The sudden stoppage had caused Hermione to abruptly end her attack to use her arms to protect her from face planting the marble, though the landing was anything but soft for her. As Hermione got to her knees, Harry bent the earth around her calves and feet to hold her in place. Hermione wobbled back before rising on her knees as Harry ended his air bubble, opened his eyes and rose to his feet. Hermione glared at him, hate burning in her eyes, as she cocked an arm back but before she could create any fire Harry caused a spire of earth to shoot up and encase her right hand and then her left when she tried to use her off hand as well.

He pulled them back so that Hermione was now on her knees and her arms back leaving her leaning back slightly, she was completely immobile. Hermione could not fight anymore and as Harry walked towards her he couldn't help but muse at how similar she looked to how Ozai did when Aang immobilized him at the end of their fight all those years ago. The fight was over, Hermione had been captured, they had won.

"Go on then Avatar you have beaten your superior yet again, so murder me as you always intended you evil bastard." Hermione snarled at Harry as he walked slowly over to her. He heard is friends walking so that they all stood behind him. as he looked down upon his captured enemy "You beat me through nothing more than luck and now you have me defenseless so kill me like the monster the whole world knows that you are. I shall die a martyr for the Enlightened and for the Chosen. My noble and bloody death at the hands of the cold blooded, evil, fascist, elitist Avatar shall be a rallying point for them and they will once again rise up to break the shackles of oppression again. You will accomplish nothing by killing one of Raava's Chosen."

"Shut the fuck up Hermione and listen for once in your damned life." Harry said firmly. His anger was gone and now there was only determination left, a determination to tell Hermione the truth about what had happened, even if she wouldn't listen. "For this is the last time I say this too you. I am no monster and I certainly won't kill you in cold blood. I, unlike you, do not kill those who I have defeated and rendered harmless thorough surrender or capture. No, I have ended your tyrannical, illegitimate reign and captured you so now it is up to the Firelord and the Fire Nation judicial system via an international tribunal to decided your fate. Now I want you listen closely to me for once."

As Harry spoke he got into Hermione's face that was twisted with rage and hate. She had been beaten and yet she was still defiant, just like any fanatic Harry had ever read about or in Voldemort's case, faced. However, she did stay quiet, likely because she knew that he had her right where he wanted her and there was nothing she could do about it.

"I am the Avatar and I am the protector of balance, not you." Harry began coolly. "Many have tried to take that from my predecessors, or even myself, and all have caused a greater imbalance in the world than balance. Do not get me wrong, I understand where you are coming from Hermione and I know you set out with noble goals and ideas like so many have done before you, but along that path you lost your way. You became the very thing you fought against; an intolerant, elitist, bigoted, arrogant tyrant."

"How dare you call me a tyrant when all I ever did was make the world a better place through my laws and my will." Hermione spat out, unable to contain herself any longer. "So what if people had to be forced to abide by my rules, so what if traitors and terrorists and criminals died along the way. The ends will always justify the means and sometimes it takes a firm visionary to do what is necessary for the greater good of humanity. I am that person and I have proved it time and time again since becoming Empress."

"Silence!" Harry barked, he knew that Hermione would keep interrupting him but he would get this out in the end. Hermione glared at him but didn't speak so Harry continued. "The ends will never justify using evil and horrific means and only those who know that evil must be done rely on the greater good argument but that is not for now. Anyway, how this happened I do not know but if I have time I will find out what made someone with noble goals become one of the most evil and horrific dictators the world has ever known. You cannot go around silencing those who oppose you and claim that they are all the hateful, vile, things you accuse them of being just because they disagree with you on an issue. Yes those extremes exist, as is evident by Voldemort and his Death Eaters, but they are a minority on the fringes. The more you accuse people of things they are not just because you don't like their views the less meaning you subscribe to those words and allow the actual assholes to get away with it. You cannot fight hate with hate, intolerance with intolerance, discrimination with discrimination. All you do is push yourself to the extreme and play off one another like two sides of the same coin. The Enlightened rose out of a counter the Death Eaters but as a result they became tyrants and murders as well. You have become the very thing you set out to destroy because you chose to oppress those who disagreed with you and suppress the views of those contrary to your own and that is not how it works in society."

"It is in my society, my equal and enlightened one with only my views to guide people." Hermione snarled. "I tell the people what to think because I know what is best for them. Anything against me is hate and must be eradicated for the betterment of society. I have proven that but you have taken it away and doomed the Fire Utopia to tyranny and oppression once more."

"No what you have done is become a tyrant who uses violence to police peoples thoughts and words as well as their actions just because you don't agree with them." Harry countered as he stared Hermione into silence so that he could continue talking. "A free and balanced society does not have to be a democracy as has been evident in the Fire Nation since Zuko's reign but do you know what makes a society free, fair and balanced? I'll tell you what I think does; freedom of thought, of speech of being allowed to challenge someone's views without fear of retaliation and perhaps you can change someone's views, make the world better over time. You can't just silence someone without listening to them, you can't just bully and force people into line with your own views out of some misguided belief that you are always right. We are humans, we make mistakes, but if we don't allow people to challenge those in power with words then we get what we have in the Fire Nation."

"I am always right, my views are law and that is enough for the world." Hermione snapped back. "To challenge me is a crime, as it should be."

"The ability to challenge a person's views and thoughts should never be a crime." Harry said as his irritation at Hermione began to grow again. "If we have the freedom to think the way we want and hold the views we do, it we have the right speak our minds without fear of reprisal then we are a truly free society. There is a balance in a broad spectrum of views and ideas. It helps us grow as a society and find that middle way, that compromise that appeases everyone though one that few actually like. You cannot have all you want, all the time. It will alienate more people who feel they are oppressed because of that and it will go to your head and you will become what you hate the most, a tyrant. We must find that balance between things or else we fail. You cannot surround yourself with an echo chamber of like minded people, a safe space from opposing views so to speak, because all it will do is stunt your development because you grow so confident that you know what is right that others cannot possibly contribute to your goals. You reinforce yourselves that your ideas are right and that any challenge to them must be the hate you so oppose and want to silence."

"You are too stupid to comprehend my brilliance." Hermione scoffed, clearly not taking in what Harry was saying. "You are just an arrogant, fascist who doesn't know that I know what is best for you. That is why you challenge me, that is why you silence me and that is why I have to ensure that those kind of views are wiped out so that we can live in a better, equal, and enlightened society with social justice for all."

"Insulting my intelligence, I was wondering when you would use that line." Harry said with a laugh. "People like you and Voldemort are so predictable with the same bullshit you say about your respective beliefs, its as if your don't have an original idea other than to repeat the same old shit over and over again. You feel that the only way to show that you are right, when your crying, bullying, emotions over facts, and insulting has failed, is by forcing others to comply with you through threats, ostracism and violence. A healthy range of views is needed but the fringes should never be encourage, they should be challenged. Those are where the violence and extremism are to be found. Where the intolerance on both sides of the spectrum exists and when one side rises the other does so and they play off each other and get worse until we see what happened with Voldemort … or with you."

"How dare you compare me to that fucking monster." Hermione snarled, the anger back in her voice. "I am no murderer or rapist or tyrant, unlike Voldemort or yourself. You are no better than him, in fact you are a worse monster because you have the world believing in your evil views, unlike a woke, enlightened individual like myself."

"No Hermione you are the monster here." Harry said shaking his head at her. "You are the one who has killed, rarely directly but you have ordered it for nothing more than people disagreeing with you. You have condoned the actions of you supporters, actions that include murder, rape, robbery, and a whole lot more, because they got the results you wanted. Mark my words, you will be punished for all of those crimes as if you yourself had committed them."

"So long as my important views were executed, those loyal to me could do what they wanted to ensure the bright future that I desired." Hermione said simply. "I didn't care how they obtained them, so long as I got the results I wanted. I was making this nation a better place, free of hate, intolerance and bigotry and if my supporters had to do what was necessary to accomplish that then they did nothing wrong."

"You have allowed your own hate and rage cloud your judgment and outlook and allowed some of the very things you despise just for the sake of results." Harry said, still angry but not uncontrollable. He looked down on Hermione with pity now at how far she had strayed from a path that might have once been productive if only she had met the right people early on. "Which is a shame because I do not doubt your intelligence, you are one of the smartest people I have ever met, but you squandered it by allowing yourself to fall from your goals and become the tyrant you claimed others were because they opposed how you thought. I understand why you felt that you had no choice but to silence those opposed to you but that is not how you affect change in this world. You fell in with the wrong crowd, with the Enlightened, and you were led astray and now must face the punishment for your many crimes. Always remember that change cannot be sudden but rather gradual for sudden change only breeds more animosity, backlash and fuel for the extremes."

"Sudden change is needed to force the ignorant masses into line with what is right." Hermione growled. "I will never regret making the Fire Utopia the utopia it was under me. Change must be forced when idiots refuse to listen to their enlightened, progressive, betters."

"No, change must come at a steady pace so that it can become accepted." Harry said with a sigh. "It is always going to be a long and tough road for those who are marginalized but if that change occurs over time, it is better in the long run rather than just forcing it and creating a negative backlash that makes the issue toxic for decades to come after starting in the right direction. Just look at Korra. When she came out as gay the Earth Kingdom still criminalized homosexuality but by the time she died and because of compromises, a liberal monarch in King Wu and a steady campaign of change most Imperial States now don't care who you fuck, so long as they are human, over the legal age of consent and not a relative. Now there are protections for sexual orientation in many states and at the Imperial level while also accounting for religious objections so that all can find the peace that they want to live their lives as who they are without being forced to do shit they don't want to do or have an objection to. However when you force change and claim all you are doing is in the name of enlightenment, equality, and to make everything better and then punish those who disagree, using that change to justify the horrendous crimes you have committed, you have strayed from a noble path to one of tyranny."

"I am enlightened, I am the law, I cannot commit any crimes." Hermione said with contempt in her voice. "I did nothing wrong."

"That is up for a court of law to decide after you receive due process, something you did not grant others and will be part of your very long indictment." Harry said coldly, Hermione was going to face justice, even if she had deluded herself into not believing that she was guilty of anything. "When all is said and done, you will likely have decades in prison to think of this so keep that in mind. That is if you don't get the death penalty as you are eligible for that for committing High Treason, the only capital offense in the Fire Nation. I hope my words have penetrated your shielded skull because once you are sent to the isolated hole where you will rot, or after you swing from a noose within 90 days of your death sentence being handed down upon you, you will only be known as the tyrant who used equality and enlightenment to justify the worst regime in human history. Keep that all in mind as that is all you have now, time alone with your mind to think on all you have done and all the lives that you have destroyed out of your selfish arrogance and insecurities."

Harry finished what he had wanted to say as he looked down at Hermione and sighed heavily. She still looked at him with nothing but furry and hate. Harry could tell that none of what he had said had penetrated her, her interruptions were proof of that, and he knew for certain that the girl was a lost cause. All he cared about now was that she had finally been defeated. She would be arrested, charged, and locked up pending her trial, once all the evidence had been gathered to ensure her conviction that is.

"Fuck you." Hermione spat, both figuratively and literally at him. "You intolerant, racist, elitist, wanker. I brought equality and enlightened laws to the Fire Utopia and now you have restored tyranny to my nation. I hope you can sleep knowing that you have locked away the greatest firebender, the smartest person, and the most enlightened leader in history for crimes that she could never have committed. I was Chosen by Raava to have firebending and selected Enlightened to lead and now you have taken away my rightful rule. Only the Enlightened can rule but you never cared about that. Kill me now and be done with it, prove to the world how evil you are and make me into a martyr."

"You were not chosen by the spirits to have bending." Harry said down at the immobile girl shaking his head. "No one is. The inheritance of bending is still unknown to us. As for killing you, I will never do that. You will face justice for your crimes, rest assured of that."

"The truth about bending is known to me." Hermione said with a smirk. "The Enlightened discovered it decades ago and I finished their work. I know that I was Chosen by Raava herself to be a firebender. It is how all first generation benders are given bending. It is why we are better than the purebloods, we get our bending from the greatest spirit of light so it is pure and strong, not weak and diluted because of our parents bending. You may lock me away, you will kill me, but those of my Chosen who have survived your purge and subsequent witch hunt will come for me, your mother included for she is a Chosen as well though she is the worst kind of traitor in the world, a traitor to the Chosen. Raava will protect me and see me free for she gave me bending, she is my protector. All I have been done has been in Raava's name and with her blessing. She would be proud of what I have done and has supported me throughout my enlightened rule."

That was the final straw for Harry. He had been unsure if Hermione deserved this punishment when he began this mission, and even up to this point he had been leaning towards not doing this, but her words had not only angered him but had angered Raava for her insults to the Avatar Spirit. Raava wanted her punished for all the evils that Hermione had done, evils that Hermione had done in her name and lied about Raava's blessing.

Harry knew that there was the only punishment that was fitting enough for Hermione after what she had claimed to have done in Raava's name and because of her belief in Raava's alleged gift to her. It would be his and Raava's punishment to Hermione for her crimes, anything else was for an international tribunal employing Fire Nation law to decide. Harry looked down upon Hermione and entered the Avatar State.

"Hermione how dare you justify your evil actions by claiming they are done in the name of the ultimate spirit of light." Harry spoke but he knew that Raava too was speaking through him. Hermione's eyes went wide with fear as Harry loomed over her.

"Raava, I, I was only doing what you would have done." Hermione stammered out. "You blessed me with bending and I was honoring you for my gift. I was making the world a better place, one of true light and good, just like you."

"I would never have killed or imprisoned innocents simply because I felt threatened by different views." Raava said through Harry and it took all of Harry's power to contain the spirit within himself. "As for bending, I only provide it to the Avatar, he is the only being I have, or ever will, grant a gift. You received your bending because bending manifests in individuals at random, that is all. Even the spirits do not fully understand how bending came to be, other than the gifts of the lion turtles, so do not assume to know what you cannot comprehend. You have warped my image and my standing so that you can justify committing acts of great evil, acts not even Vaatu would commit. For that you will pay. I may not be able to give you bending to any but the Avatar, but the Avatar can take it."

"No." Hermione screamed, her eyes going wide with fear for the first time as she realized what was about to happen. "You cannot take what you yourself have bestowed upon me. I beg you Raava, I was doing what you would do for equality and balance in the world."

Harry walked forward, ignoring Hermione's please as he regained control of the Avatar State so that he could use energybending. Placing one hand on Hermione's forehead and the other directly over her heart, Harry reached into her body to find her energy. It was a lot easier than the last time he had done this.

Hermione was not as corrupted, nor as evil as Voldemort had been because she had begun her crusade with noble causes before committing evil to accomplish her goals so he was not challenged as much as he had been when he had stripped Voldemort of his bending. Therefore, there was less risk when he bent the energy within Hermione and stripped her of her firebending, permanently.

"Actually I can." Harry said stepping back from Hermione and exiting the Avatar State when he was done. "You have met your punishment at my hands and you will never use your bending, Raava, or your perceived status to justify harming another soul again. The rest of your punishment is up to the courts."

The rocks holding Hermione in place crumbles and she fell limp to the cold marble floor, it had cooled since their duel. Hermione was in too much shock and to drained to respond or say anything other than "no" repeatedly at her fate. Harry walked over to the prone former bender and self proclaimed Fire Empress and pulling a pair of platinum cuff from his belt. Rolling her over onto her stomach, Harry cuffed Hermione's wrists behind her back then grabbed her upper arms and hauled her to her feet. Her head hung low and limp as Hermione finally resigned herself to defeat.

"Hermione by the power vested in me by Crown Prince Druzok and the Fire Nation, I hereby place you under arrest for High Treason against the Fire Nation for the murder of Firelord Iroh, multiple counts of murder, false imprisonment, slavery, crimes against humanity and a whole lot more." Harry said seriously as he laid out the gravity of the charges against her, the precise number of crimes and what she was to be charged with would be formally announced when it had been calculated. "You will be punished for all the crimes you or your subordinates have committed over the last 5 years of your tyranny so many more charges will be added to this indictment. Come on, let's go face the world and show them that the nightmare of the Fire Utopia is over once and for all."

Harry placed a hand on the stunned, shocked and defeated Hermione and pushed her gently forward to begin walking out of the palace. Before they left the throne room, Harry removed the crown that still adorned Hermione's head and threw it to the side with disgust, sending it clattering into a corner. If they could save it later they would, for it would be a great museum piece but for now they had to show the world that the Fire Nation was free.

Harry walked Hermione forward and his friends, his team fell in behind him. Once they reached the exit Harry raised his hand and bent the stone back into the earth so they could leave the ruined throne room. He then had to use his bending so that they could make a path past the four bodies outside the throne room but that as straightforward for Harry.

After that, they walked in silence through the Palace and past the bodies of a few of the dead and wounded Chosen who had decided to fight and die rather than surrender peacefully. Soon they came to the giant entrance doors to the Palace and Harry reached out to take hold of the metal with his bending. They weren't locked after Pyrites had helped Seamus out so all he had to do was pull.

"Time to show the world that the Fire Nation has been freed from tyranny, though there is still a long road of recovery ahead of us." Harry said to his friends and their prisoner as he clenched his fist and pulled the door open to the waiting crowds outside.

 **That is it, the end of Hermione's reign and the final duel of Book 2. Sorry for the long Hermione rants but a villain has to monologue am I right? Also sorry for the Harry rants but he is a little frustrated by this point in the story and had to get it out of his system, no matter how futile it was. Only 3 more chapters plus a short epilogue to go before this series is complete. Those chapters wrap up this story line with what happens to Hermione after her arrest, as well as a sweet epilogue to cap off Book 2.** **That's all for this post chapter note, a** ** **s always** ** ** ** ** **keep letting me know what you think of this story in the reviews and any questions asked in reviews or PMs to me will be answered at the start of next week's chapter, which should be released on time Until next week.************

 ** ** ** ** ** **Stringdog************


	30. Chapter 30

********Here is the 30th chapter in Book 2. This is the first of the final 3 chapter arc that will bring Book 2 to completion as the final aspects of the Fire Utopia are wrapped up nicely by Team Avatar. N******** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** **othing**************** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** **else to add here so sit back and enjoy the latest installment in Avatar: The Tale of Harry. Book 2: Equality.****************

 ** ** ** ** **Disclaimer:********** ** ** **As always I own nothing related to either of these two great works of fiction.******

 **Chapter 30**

Harry pulled open the front doors of the Royal Palace and walked Hermione out into the dusk of the Capital, it was later than Harry had expected but at least there was still some light. As soon as the doors were opened, Harry was almost immediately blinded by a series of camera flashes and shouts as people realized that the Avatar had left the Palace and that he had Hermione in custody. As the flashed died, only after Harry showed clear discomfort at them, he was able to see more of what was going on.

The entire area between the Palace, the Palace gates and the front entrance was packed with a mix of soldiers, media personnel and civilians who had come out of their homes after the Capital had been secured. As Harry turned to the right while his friends filed out he saw the World Leaders, Pyrites, Katie, Oliver and a shirtless Seamus who had his abdomen and knee wrapped and was leaning on a crutch as what looked like the Chief Medic of the United Forces fussed over him. Before Harry could do anything more he was embraced by Druzok, causing the cameras to flash again.

"Thank you Avatar." The soon to be Firelord said quietly to him.

"Just doing my duty, Firelord." Harry said putting emphasis on the last word as he pulled away from the embrace to see a smiling Druzok at the fact that the whole Fire Utopia horror was over. As they spoke more flashes of cameras were going off. "Just doing my duty my friend."

Harry turned to the crowd to see that the front line of the crowd was a unit of Kyoshi Warriors who must have been at the back of the procession and called forward when Harry and his friends and Pyrites entered the Palace to serve as crowd control and bodyguards for the World Leader. At the front was Ty La standing next to a stern looking middle aged woman with short brown hair that was shot with gray, both were in full makeup and outfit. The older woman had to be the matriarch of the Kyoshi Warriors and the mother of Captain Suki who had been killed doing her duty to defend Iroh when the coup was launched. The two woman began to climb the stairs to Harry and the others at a signal from Druzok.

"Your Highness, we are here to take custody of the accused in accordance with the deal between the world leaders, the Avatar and Pyrites." Ty La said saluting Druzok and then bowing to Harry. "It is my honor to present Commander Koko the leader of the Kyoshi Warriors and Governor of the Imperial State of Kyoshi."

"I am sorry for your loss Commander Koko." Harry said bowing formally to the woman and using her rank title rather than political one as was custom in Kyoshi. "I only knew your daughter briefly but she was a fine example of the Kyoshi Warriors who gave her life to uphold her oath. It is my hope that her body be exhumed from wherever Hermione buried it, along with those of the other girls who were slain that fateful day, and returned to Kyoshi Island for proper burial with full honors as is the tradition for fallen Kyoshi Warriors."

"Your condolences are appreciated and thanked Avatar." Commander Koko said bowing back to him, though Harry could see tears in the older woman's eyes. "My daughter knew of the risks when she made her oaths, as did I when I was her age and in her position, and she did her duty. We may not have expected this to ever happen but I know she died with honor and all the girls who died that day will be given the honors they deserve when they are returned home. Suki spoke highly of you and I know she was pleased to have met the Avatar before she died, I am grateful that you have caught her murderer."

"As am I." Harry said with a smile at the Kyoshi Commander. "Speaking of Hermione, as in accordance with the deal, Hermione is hereby transferred into your custody under the oversight of Crown Prince Druzok until she has been convicted or acquitted by an International Tribunal and under Fire Nation law. As the Avatar, I am officially classifying Hermione as a high profile prisoner with all the requirements that that entails."

"Of course." Ty La said as she approached the cuffed girl. "We will make sure that the accused is ready for her trial."

"Take her to the coolers and then house her in the dungeons in accordance with the international standards for high profile prisoners." Druzok ordered with a glare at Hermione. "She will be transferred to a special isolation cell in the Capital Prison Tower when the time comes to await her trial."

"Two things your highness before she is moved." Harry said quietly so that only those around him could hear. "First I recommend you send the warriors into the Palace before anyone else as there are at least 4, possibility more than 4, wounded but cuffed Chosen inside the Palace. One is near the door and another is upstairs and two more in the throne room. There may be some in the royal spa or Agni Kai chamber as well, however I doubt the two that had the misfortune to face Pyrites in the Royal Gallery survived the encounter."

"They didn't." Pyrites said helpfully from the side in a conversational tone. "And sorry for the mess I left, the urine on the floor is definitely not me."

"As helpful as always." Harry muttered, he had a feeling that Pyrites had left a large mess of his opponents. "Anyway the other thing I was going to say is be careful in the dungeons as there is still one Chosen down there guarding the single prisoner who we believe is Izra. So have a few of the warrior go down to the dungeons before Hermione is escorted to her cell."

"Make that a priority." Druzok ordered to the warriors. "She must be released at once but try to take the Chosen alive, I want as many as possible to face punishment for their crimes. Make sure that Hermione spends a day in the cooler first to negate her firebending for a week, a process we will repeat every week until her trial."

"Actually Your Highness, there will be no need to take Hermione to the coolers." Harry said to which the Prince quirked an eyebrow and he could feel the reporters trying to get closer to hear what Harry was about to say so he spoke up for the benefit of the nearest reporters, they should know what had just happened. "After I incapacitated Hermione, she continued to show defiance and then claimed to be Chosen by Raava and all she did was for Raava and in Raava's name as she believed it was what Raava would have done. Well, the Avatar Spirit wasn't too pleased so as punishment for her doing evil in the name of Raava, I, by the will of Raava, stripped Hermione of her firebending so that she never used it to harm anyone again. From now on, any punishment she faces will be in accordance with Fire Nation law."

"Understood." Druzok said with a nod before he and Harry looked at Hermione. "I would say that it was punishment enough but she must pay for all the crimes she, or those acting on her orders, have committed over the last 5 years."

The previously defiant and raving girl was now hanging her head in defeat, her busy hair covering her face as best she could from the cameras that continued to flash at them. Harry could see a tear trace down her cheek at her situation she was in and had she not committed such horrible atrocities over the last 5 years he would have maybe felt sorry for her. As it was, any punishment she received would likely be too good for her, including the death penalty.

However they were better than her and would never stoop to the level Hermione had during her illegitimate reign. Harry would make sure that due process was followed and that Hermione was convicted based on the evidence in a court of law. The world needed to see Hermione held accountable for her crimes but it had to be done the right way.

"Well ladies, did you hear the Avatar or not." Commander Koko barked at the girls in the front line. "Get in the palace and clear it for the Crown Prince and free Princess Izra. Don't worry bitch, I will personally treat you better than you did my eldest daughter when you murdered her."

The last bit Koko whispered into Hermione's ear so that only those outside the palace could here. Harry knew that the Commander was speaking the truth but the vehemence in her voice still sent shivers down his spine.

"I didn't murder her." Harry heard Hermione murmur back almost too quietly to be heard. "I tried to free her from her enslavement to a tyrant but she chose to follow the conditioned brainwashing of her master and sacrificed herself in a foolish and fruitless attempt to save an oppressive tyrant from my righteous justice. I am the protector of nonbender rights, not the enslaver of them."

"We chose to serve the Firelords over a century ago." Koko said softly to Hermione though with the same vehemence as before. "We were never enslaved. Our willing offer of protection was a way to heal the wounds of war and show unity going forward. We willingly swore a sacred oath of protection to the Firelord and his family and we will do so again once Druzok is crowned. Only a fool such as yourself would believe we were enslaved. Only an elitist and supremely arrogant person would believe that Iroh subjected nonbenders to discrimination, especially when he chose to continue being protected by them and not by an elite team of firebenders as was his right as Firelord."

"I was only doing what was right." Hermione countered quietly though with a little of her old self seeping back into her words. "Often times people do not know what is right for them, it takes and enlightened mind like myself to show them the right path. The Kyoshi Warriors are just that. You have been brainwashed into thinking the way you do, only through me can you truly be free."

"I pity you Hermione, I really do." The Kyoshi Commander whispered. "I made an informed decision when I was 8 to join the Kyoshi Warriors, I volunteered for the Firelord's personal bodyguard when I was 14 and had passed all the test. I accepted the rank of Captain of that detail when I was 20 knowing what it meant and I accepted Command of the Kyoshi Warriors when I was 30. Every step of the way I knew what I was getting into and did so willingly, never once was I or any of my Warriors brainwashed. It is insulting to our intelligence that you would think otherwise. You on the other hand, clearly have been brainwashed and misguided from a young age and now you have fucked your life up because of your foolishness and willingness to never question those who placed you in this position. I hope you find peace someday because when you die, which might be sooner rather than later, you will have to explain to my only daughter, my only child, why she had sacrifice herself and die because of a misguided and foolish girl."

Hermione didn't answer but looked away. Harry hoped it was in shame but likely she just didn't want to face a contradiction that she would see as hate. Hermione was beat and she knew it, there was no point in her fighting at this point. Harry expected the old Hermione to return by the time of her trial.

A few minutes later, two Kyoshi warriors came out escorting a young woman between them who had seen better days. She wore tattered gray prison rags and was clearly malnourished. Her hair hung dull and listless around her gaunt face and the beauty she had once had had faded somewhat after what Harry knew was years in a prison cell.

However as soon as the woman finished blinking at the first sight of daylight in 5 years, her eyes showed that she had not lost her mind, which was good. As soon as they fell onto Druzok she ran at her brother and hugged him before finally breaking down and sobbing into his chest. Druzok held his sister, not caring that the world's media was there to capture this moment, which would become one of many that highlighted the Fire Utopia experiment.

Harry knew that there would be a lot of healing needed for Izra but she would pull through in the end. She was a tough one and with Druzok's help and Hermione brought to justice, Izra and all those who had suffered under Hermione could find peace one day.

"The palace is clear your majesty." One of the girls said breaking the silence that had befallen those outside the Palace doors since Commander Koko's last statement to Hermione. "The survivors have received medical attention and been transferred to the specialty cells in the dungeons in correspondence with their bending pending their transfer to the Capital Prison Tower pending trial. The bodies moved though we need someone with a stronger stomach than us to deal with the mess on the portrait gallery, it's pretty bad."

"I will see to that." Druzok said as he released Izra who was instantly helped to the side by Luna. "Escort the prisoner to the highest security cell in the dungeons and make sure she is guarded at all times by at least three Kyoshi Warriors. I do not expect someone to try and bust her out but we have to be careful with a prisoner like Hermione. I will be inside soon enough to check on everything but I must deal with the media first."

"On my honor and that of the Kyoshi Warriors, I will personally make sure she never escapes Firelord." Commander Koko said before turning Hermione around and whispering. "Come on bitch, let's go see your new home. Time to get used to solitary confinement, you might be in it for decades to come."

The Governor of Kyoshi and Ty La escorted Hermione into the Palace and the girls closed the doors, though some remained outside as guards for Druzok. Druzok turned to Harry and smiled before looking over the crowd and then groaning.

"Great that Skeeter gossip monger from the Daily Prophet is here." Druzok groaned and Harry saw that he was looking at a dyed blonde woman with vicious looking fake nails, a notepad and an acid green quill of all things who was standing front and center of the gathered reporters. "She'll aggressively want an interview and then misconstrue, twist, or just make up everything I say, but we should give the media a soundbite. They deserve that much."

Druzok then took a step forward and raised his voice to the crowd. It was time to formally address the situation.

"People of the Fire Nation and those from other nations either here today ensuring the liberation of the Fire Nation or watching from around the globe the time for speeches and interviews will come but that time is not now." Druzok said in a regal tone that Harry knew the man had been educated in since childhood. "For now I will ask the Avatar to make a brief statement to you before he and I, along with all the leaders of the revolution who I formally invite to stay in the Palace as my guests, retire as there is still a great deal of work. This day would not have been possible without them and they will be honored, this is their moment, not mine. I present to you one of the heroes of the day, Avatar Harry."

"Thanks I hate the media." Harry mumbled to Druzok as he passed the smirking Crown Prince before he raised his voice to make a statement to the world once more. "I will keep this brief and ask that you not interrupt me for as the Crown Prince said there is a lot to do, we do have a coronation to plan. I will say this. The horror of the last 5 years that has befallen the Fire Nation while it was known as the Fire Utopia and under the illegitimate leadership of Hermione the Cruel has officially ended this day."

Harry had to pause at that as the crowd burst into cheers that they had clearly been containing until they overflowed. Harry had to wait a moment before they died down enough for him to continue his improvised remarks.

"I have personally seen some of the horrors that were inflicted upon the Fire Nation in these last 5 years but not the full extent of the atrocities that were committed in the name of equality, enlightenment, and Raava by Hermione or by those loyal to her regime." Harry said seriously, the gravity of what had occurred in the Fire Nation would be felt for years to come. "As is my duty as the Avatar, I will assist those tasked with figuring out the full extent of Hermione's crimes and I will do my part in restoring balance to the Fire Nation."

Harry paused at this point to let his words sink in. The world had to know what had happened and it had to know that the Avatar would be on the front lines ensuring that balance was restored.

"I will not lie we have a long road to recovery ahead of us." Harry continued after a moment. "But that road has already begun thanks to the efforts of countless citizens over the last few months that I have been here and the bravery and sacrifice of many to reach this point. As you saw, and likely heard, Hermione has been defeated and I have stripped her of her ability to bend, the first woman and the 4th person in known history to receive such a punishment. She has been formally arrested and charged with High Treason, crimes against humanity, murder, and countless other felonies. She will now face a fair and impartial trial in the Fire Nation for all her crimes. All those who aided her willingly and of their own free will while serving in senior positions in Hermione's regime shall also face fair trials for their crimes, as will any rank and file supporters who committed crimes to ensure the fulfillment of Hermione's laws. Those still at large will be hunted down and brought to justice. The Fire Nation has been restored but we still must work together to heal the wounds of tyranny and bring those responsible to justice. Thank you but now we must retire."

Before Harry could turn General Thomas broke from the crowd and walked up the stairs while reporters shouted questions that Harry couldn't make out or would answer . She saluted Druzok crisply and bowed to Harry before holding out her arms. Harry nodded and produced the last pair of platinum cuffs he had, turned her around to face the large crowd and in front of the gather spectators cuffed the now former General's wrists behind her back.

"I hereby turn myself in for all the crimes I either committed or indirectly supported as General of the Fire Utopia Military and Commander of the Naval Blockade as I promised I would when I defected back to the Fire Nation." Thomas said loudly so all could here. "I apologize for everything and am at the mercy of the courts when my court martial comes."

Harry nodded but didn't speak for no words were needed as he turned her around and directed her to the doors where one of the Kyoshi Warriors would escort her to the dungeons. She would be joined by all the senior commanders who had defected and agreed to surrender once Hermione had been defeated but Thomas had chosen to be first so as to show the world that even though she had betrayed Hermione, she was still guilty and deserved punishment.

After General Thomas had gone inside, Druzok had turned, put his arm around his frail sister and gestured inside. Harry nodded and opened the doors with his bending. As they walked in Harry could here President Shacklebolt taking to the center of the stairs to address the crowd and along with Admiral Williamson giving orders to disperse the soldiers for the moment.

Once morning came, the work would begin to heal the nation and prepare for Druzok's coronation. Harry knew his friends, allies and whatever Pyrites was, he had yet to decide where he and his former foe stood, follow him inside.

"Again sorry for the state of the place." Harry said as the doors closed behind them and they stepped around the blood and body in the entrance hallway. "We had to fight to take her back."

"We all saw the fire erupt from the throne room." Druzok said reminding Harry of the fight with Hermione. "You will have to regale me with the battle from the moment you entered to the moment you returned over dinner. Also don't worry about the Palace I've been wanting to make a few changes anyway so a forced remodeling will be good and bring in a bit of needed, competitive, business that will be vying for those lucrative and valuable contracts."

Harry laughed as they walked into the Palace. What he need now more than anything was food and sleep. The day had been draining but in the morning they could begin rebuilding and restoring the Fire Nation to what it once was. Harry was glad that they had won, again.

* * *

It took a month to have everything sorted out and ready for Druzok's coronation. The time was spent cleaning and mending the Palace, making sure the ceremony was ready in accordance with tradition and dismantling the remnants of Hermione's regime that she had created to ensure her iron grip on power. While Hermione's trial was still months away at the earliest as it was the most important trial that required a lot of evidence and would be the final trial given all the information that they needed to get, there were other trials and deals made with members of the former Fire Utopia government.

Already various members loyal, or formerly loyal, to Hermione were starting long prison sentences following plea deals with the recently created International Criminal Tribunal for the former Fire Utopia, the ICTFU. The ICTFU had been commissioned on the request of Druzok and was comprised of 3 judges from each nation, excluding the United Republic and Foggy Swamp Tribe, the latter of which sending one judge as they only had one who knew Fire Nation law. The 3 Fire Nation judges were people who had been in exile during the time of the Fire Utopia.

The Tribunal also had prosecutors and defense attorneys for the trials and all investigations of suspected criminals from the Fire Utopia had to go through the ICTFU, including the Avatar. It was a large undertaking and the first of its kind since the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Earth Empire but Harry was amazed at how efficient it was, largely thanks to those who had decided to cooperate with it.

General Thomas and General Creevey both cooperated fully with the reformed Fire Nation Investigative Service, the primary body working for the ICTFU to bring in the wanted criminals, and had pleaded guilty to their crimes. In accordance with their deals, the Tribunal had sentenced them to 25 years in the Boiling Rock with 20 and 15 years suspended respectively for their cooperation and the stipulation that they stay within the Capital during the suspension of their sentences and engage in community service.

Other members of the military who had been senior and willing conspirators in the coup and cooperated received sentence ranging from 10-35 years depending on the severity of their crimes, whether or not they had used their position to commit personal crimes as well as those that were on Hermione's orders and the level of their cooperation with Hermione. Those who didn't cooperate, mainly the fanatics who refused to accept the Tribunal's authority, were scheduled to go to trial and were looking at a minimum of 35 years behind bars.

Dennis too cooperated with the authorities and gave up everything regarding the extent of the Chosen and their activities and any who may still be at large. In exchange for his testimony and cooperation he received a 10-20 year sentence to be served in the special administrative housing unit of the Boiling Rock for his own protection. In addition, Dennis was to serve 10 years of probation in the Fire Nation upon the completion of his sentence and was expected to cooperate whenever regarding the Chosen and the Enlightened.

Of the 49 Chosen who had not been in the Capital at the time of Hermione's defeat, all of whom Dennis provided information on, 13 had been killed or captured with at least 7 more suspected to still be in the nation. The remaining 30 were believed to have escaped the Fire Nation and were now all on the world's most wanted list. The rest of the organizations involved in the regime had varying levels of punishment depending on their level of use and importance to Hermione.

Druzok had declared, based on evidence recovered from their respective headquarters and under the Fire Nation's Terrorism Syndication Act, that membership in the Chosen, the Enforcers of Enlightenment and the FUICEE was illegal and a criminal act given the three organizations cooperation and participation in Hermione's regime. Also anyone who had been part of the state run media organization, the only one allowed in the Fire Utopia, _The Enlightened Truth_ , an organization that lied through its teeth, were to be considered on the same level as the Enforcers. The mandatory minimum sentences for membership were useful as it allowed the Tribunal to offer deals for information on the leaders, or surviving leaders, of their groups to low level members in exchange for lesser sentences. The Blades were classified as a street gang and not a terror group so they were only facing punishment for the crimes they committed as gangbangers.

Under the law and based on the classification of the group, Enforcers and members of _The Enlightened Truth_ received 5 years to life, FUICEE agents 10 years to life and Chosen 20 years to life without a deal being in place. However, if any other crimes that they committed came out they would be brought up at any parole hearings. This was only for the rank and file members who had sworn, before truth seer, allegiance to Hermione and the faithful execution of her laws, an oath that rank and file members of the military did not have to make.

Those who were in charge of these groups would all received life sentences and all those caught, mainly the Acting Commissioner of the Enforcers of Enlightenment and the Chief Editor of _The Enlightened Truth_ , had refused any deals and were set for trial in a few months. Unfortunately the biggest fish other than Hermione, the Director Arabella of the FUICEE, had fled the Capital prior to the Battle of the Caldera and while it was safe to assume she had not yet left the nation as he face was plastered at the top of all the wanted posters, she was at large when the Tribunal was commissioned.

Most of the month was spent dealing with the criminals that had been caught, freeing the prisons of Hermione's many political, or perceived political, prisoners, restoring the institutions of the Fire Nation and laying the groundwork for the rebuilding the nation. There was also the arduous process of gaining the information needed for Hermione's trial as well as the other senior members of her government who had refused to cooperate or take plea deals. Any benders convicted and sentenced to life would be sent to the various White Lotus Supermax prisons, any nonbender would be sent to the special administrative housing unit of the Boiling Rock or the 5th level of the Catacombs Prison Complex depending on available space.

The day before Druzok's coronation, Harry received some great news as he was meeting with the Fire Sages to plan the ceremony. The United Forces had arrested the number 1 most wanted criminal on the Tibunal's list, the FUICEE Director. Director Arabella had been trying to flee from a southern port with a large amount of cash and valuables and a fake Southern Water Tribe passport. She was immediately taken into custody for transport back to the capital for trial and Harry had already classified her as a high profile prisoner, the same as Hermione.

Director Arabella was the considered the second highest ranking official arrested or wanted for crimes against humanity committed by the Fire Utopia, after Hermione, so her capture had been a welcome relief given her crimes and connections. This was because of the prolific use of the FUICEE to spy on the citizens, arrest arbitrarily anyone who even thought wrong, and at time secretly kill dissidents. The other senior leaders such as Dean as Commander of the Chosen and the Commissioner of the Enforcers had died in the Battle of the Caldera making Arabella the most wanted senior collaborator in Hermione's government.

As with Hermione, Arabella had refused any possible deal or to even acknowledge the Tribunal's authority to charge her, or even that she had committed any crimes as she saw only laws created by Hermione as valid laws to be followed. That had included a law justifying all of Arabella's actions as Director of the FUICEE. Arabella's trial was set to be the penultimate trial of the Tribunal prior to Hermione's and would serve as a test for what to expect when Hermione finally went on trial.

Even with the Director of the FUICEE in custody, there were still plenty of willing collaborators from the Fire Utopia, including over 30 Chosen, still at large and who would be hunted down and brought to justice in time. It would ultimately take 17 years to find and bring all those who had been involved in the Fire Utopia regime and the crimes it committed to justice with the exception of the leadership of the Enlightened who would still eluded the authorities and neither Hermione or Warren. They were the only Enlightened members who had been caught, cooperated in the immediate aftermath of the Hermione's defeat and the restoration of the Fire Nation.

It had been a long, busy, month for Harry and his friends as they stayed in the Capital as they sorted out everything with the ICTFU and impending coronation. The coronation was now a day away and Harry couldn't wait for the break that the coronation and the celebration that a coronation created, for a Firelord's coronation was a national holiday. It was a much needed celebration for a nation that had been ravished by the twisted beliefs of a deluded, brainwashed, and foolish girl.

* * *

At last the day of Druzok's coronation came. It was to be held in the same place that had seen the coronation of all prior Firelords, the Fire Sage's Temple. For only the second time it would be held before a crowd from all nations, just as had been the case for his great-great-grandfather at the end of the 100 year war. It was the first coronation in over 30 years, everything was prepared to make it as grand as it was supposed to be.

The World Leaders were seated to one side at the top of the Temple stairs as was tradition and with the exception of Harry, the front row before the stairs stood Team Avatar, Pyrites and the 3 main rebel leaders. Hagrid and Charlie had been offered a position there but both had decided instead to arrive and stay on their dragons to the sides of the Temple as a symbol of the original firebenders. Everyone was gathered and now they were waiting for Druzok in his formal robes of office to appear before them.

Harry was waiting inside the entrance waiting to meet Druzok as asked before the Crown Prince stepped out into the courtyard of the most sacred temple in the Fire Nation. He was wearing the formal greed robes of his homeland and a simple metal pendant with the symbol of the Earth Kingdom carved into it to show his heritage and status as Avatar. Harry was amused at how much this was like Zuko's coronation at the end of the 100 year war and knew the parallels would follow but he didn't care, today was for the Fire Nation and to show that they were on the path to restoration.

Harry heard footsteps approaching and looked up to see Druzok walking towards him down the ornate carpet, they were the only two allowed inside the Temple at this point so Harry knew that it was time. Harry rose and waited for the soon to be Firelord to approach. Druzok smiled at him as he walked up to the Avatar.

"It has been almost 5 and a half years since my nation and my people were taken from me by a delusional girl and those who supported her but now it has returned." Druzok said to Harry as he reached the Avatar. "Thanks to you and your friends, and Pyrites."

"It was not easy but it was my duty to help, as it will not be your duty to restore your nation but if Zuko and Aang could do it after 100 years of war then we can do after 5 years of dictatorship." Harry said with a small bow of his head. "Shall we go forth and get this over with, I am not a big fan of ceremony."

"One sec Avatar." Druzok said with a small smile. "I have one last thing I would like to ask of you."

"Ask and I shall see if it is possible." Harry said returning the smile.

"Will you be the person who crowns me Firelord?" Druzok asked. Harry was taken aback by the request, he wasn't expecting that so Druzok elaborated. "The High Sage and all the other Fire Sages were some of the first purged by Hermione and executed when she took power because they are loyal to the Avatar and the Firelord, not her. Also she sees religion as a justification for great evil and to be eradicated from the face of the earth. She did so with brutal efficiency though kept this temple due to the historical archives kept here and the valuables that her cronies could loot from it, valuables that will be recovered."

"Just more crimes to add to Hermione's charge sheet." Harry said with a sigh. "Desecration of a religious sight and artifacts, stealing of religious artifacts, violations of the right to free exercise of religion, grand theft, and much more. The recovery of the priceless artifacts here will be added to the long list of what needs to be done."

"It already has, the Fire Sages are the guardians of our religion here, we cannot lose it because of some insecure girl." Druzok said seriously before continuing with the explanation that Harry had interrupted. "Anyway, I have appointed a new High Sage in accordance with tradition when there is no senior Sage at this Temple to take the position, from among the few surviving Sages from around the nation who avoided the purge, but none are really fitting for the honor of crowning me Firelord. I know it is a break from custom, though not technically illegal, but I would be honored if the Avatar were to be the one who crowned me. It would show your support for the restoration of the Fire Nation, for my rule after 5 years of tyranny, and for unity going forward as the Fire Nation recovers."

"I would be honored." Harry said with a smile.

True it wasn't conventional but given all that had happened it would be symbolic. Druzok embraced Harry before turning and walking through the curtain and into the colonnade and the courtyard of cheering citizens from all over the world, Harry following a respectful distance behind him.

As Druzok reached the point at the center of the steps right at the top one of the Fire Sages banged a gong and the crowd fell silent awaiting Druzok's words. Harry stood where he was supposed to stand, even without the new addition to his role here today.

"People of the Fire Nation and the world." Druzok said loudly to the now quiet crowd. This was the first ever coronation that would be aired live on VV and many cameras and reporters focused on Druzok as he began to speak. "The era of the Fire Utopia and the atrocities that the regime that usurped power here committed is over. I wish I could say that I did my best to end it but I was limited in my abilities by being in exile and unable to return for fear of a public and gruesome death at Hermione's hand. Therefore I would like to present the real hero who has freed the Fire Nation and who risked his life to save my nation and my people from a brutal and merciless dictator. I present Avatar Harry."

Harry smiled as he walked forward to stand by Druzok's side in front of the cheering crowds. Even after over 6 years of being the Avatar, Harry was still uncomfortable in front of crowds but he knew that this was part of his job so he had to get used to it.

"As my ancestor Firelord Zuko said after the 100 year war, we have a long road to recovery but with the Avatar's help I know we can return to the proud nation that my great-great-grandfather and his descendants built." Druzok continued once the crowd had quieted down. "We are the Fire Nation. We are proud, ambitious and driven to succeed so I know that we can do this."

Druzok nodded to the Fire Sages who once again banged the gong for quiet as the crowd cheered at the Crown Prince's words. Harry watched as Druzok knelt on the special cushion before the crowd as those before him had done. The moment to crown a new Firelord was at hand.

The new High Sage, one younger than he should be for such a role, approached Harry with a red velvet cushion, clearly the High Sage had been in on Druzok's plan as well. On the cushion was a gold flame cast the symbol of the Fire Nation, the official symbol of the Firelord and worn in his or hers top knot. It had been recast over the last month as the one that had been passed on for generations had been lost when Iroh had been decapitated, as had his body, so a memorial service for him and all those who had died over the last 5 years had been scheduled for next month. It was to be presided over by the new Firelord.

Harry looked at the new flame and thought that it was fitting that a new flame had been cast to show the new Fire Nation as it once again rebuilt itself from the ashes of a tyrant. Harry picked up the symbol or rank in his hands as gently as possible, holding it under the flame with the prong between his hands and walked to stand behind Druzok causing gasps from the crowds and flashes from the cameras when the realized that the Avatar would be the one to crown Druzok. Standing behind Druzok Harry raised the flame so that all could see it as the noon high sun glinted off the flame of the Firelord.

"All Hail Firelord Druzok." Harry said as formally as he could as he lowered the flame and placed it into Druzok's top knot the way he had seen it worn by Iroh. Taking a step back as Druzok rose to cheers from the crowd, Harry moved to stand by the new Firelord's side at a gesture by Druzok.

As Druzok stood all the Fire Nation citizens fell to a knee, soon followed by all in the crowd, excluding the seated World Leaders and those heroes of the rebellion standing in the front row, in a sign of respect to the new Firelord. The most impressive thing though was when Charlie and Hagrid had their dragons take a knee and lower their heads to the Firelord while the riders raised their weapons in the right hands over their heads as a sign of respect to Druzok. After a moment Druzok raised his hands and all rose awaiting his first speech as Firelord.

"Citizens there is much to say and much to do." Firelord Druzok said once the gathered crowd had quieted enough for the new Firelord to begin his speech. "And I will say more on what needs to be done in due course but there are a few things I will say now. Firstly is that despite the horrors and tragedies that have befallen our nation over the last 5 years, we should never forget them for it is from the ashes of adversity that we rise to become a better society. This is not the first time, nor will it likely be the last, that this has happened and I will ensure that this tragedy and all those who perished from it is never forgotten. Once we have a list of all those who died needlessly under the tyrannical regime of Hermione the Cruel, starting with the Kyoshi Warriors and my grandfather, Firelord Iroh, their names shall be permanently engraved upon the walls of the caldera here in the Capital and maintained from the royal purse so that they are never forgotten. That is why I ask now that we all take a moment of silence to remember all those who died over the last 5 years under the regime of the Fire Utopia."

Druzok paused and bowed his head, Harry and the crowd did the same, as they remained silent in memory of all who had been lost because of Hermione. Harry knew that Druzok had been planning something to memorialize those who had died but this was grander than even Harry had expected but was something that was more than deserved for those who had perished. After a moment Druzok rose his head and returned to his speech.

"So too should we not forget what has transpired over the last 5 and a half years." The Firelord said solely. "We cannot ignore history, nor should we. We cannot forget what has happened for we must learn from the mistakes of the past so as to not make them again. We must remember them so that we may teach the generations to come of what has transpired not just during the Fire Utopia but other such instances like the Earth Empire or the 100 year war, so that we might never see something like this again. I will endeavor to restore all that has been lost during the last 5 years. As my first official act as Firelord I hereby restore the Fire Assembly and the ranks, titles and property that was taken or lost due to the actions of Hermione the Cruel. I will personally make sure that all who lost property, money, land, loved ones and much more, nobles and commoners alike, are rightfully reimbursed to the best of my ability for I know that somethings can never truly be made whole."

Again Druzok paused to let his words sink in. Harry was impressed by the serious nature of Druzok's speech, as was the crowd it seemed as they remained quiet. After a moment, Druzok took a breathe and continued.

"However, after spending 5 years in exile I have decided to make a few changes going forward." Druzok said, Harry had a feeling that this was what the Firelord had wanted to say but needed to come to it the right away after paying his respects to those who had suffered under Hermione. "While I shall restore the Fire Assembly and it will continue to be an advisory body to me, I shall also, by Royal Proclamation, create a new branch of government. It will take a few years to install and work out the kinks but with the aid of the other nations but it will be the first stage in the transition of power from one to man, from the Firelord and into the hands of the people. I hereby create the a representative body for all the citizens of the Fire Nation, the House of Commons, that shall be entirely elected with one representative per constituency based on a fair ratio of representatives to citizens of the Fire Nation. This body shall have the power to not only suggest laws but draft, change, and vote on enacting them, pending a decision by myself on whether or not to grant my Royal Ascent to the law as the Head of State, similar to what King Wu does. The Fire Assembly will be remained the House of Lords but otherwise will remain as it was before is dissolution following my grandfather's murder. I know that there is still much to do going forward to make this a functional reality but I also know we can accomplish it."

Harry knew his mouth was hanging open at Druzok's words and closed it before anyone got a picture of it. Fortunately, the rest of the crowd was just as shocked as Harry was at Druzok's sudden and official proclamation turning the Fire Nation from an autocratic monarchy into a constitutional one similar to the Earth Kingdom. Though Harry had a feeling it wouldn't be a full constitutional monarchy when all was said and done, there were certain powers and rights that the Firelord would have to retain but that was what the transition period was for, to sort all this shit out.

"Lastly before I retire and of course invite y'all to the coronation party that the whole Capital is throwing, there is a matter of honoring the true heroes who are here today and without who's leadership and actions we would not be here today." Druzok said once the crowd seemed to have recovered from his sudden announcement. "That is why I shall bestow upon the following the Roku Cross, the highest honor for valor above and beyond the call of duty that can be awarded in the Fire Nation upon the true heroes who restored peace and balance to my nation. This is the largest number of Roku Crosses awarded in one moment in Fire Nation history. As the Firelord, I officially award the Roku Cross and all the rights and privileges that it entails to Avatar Harry, Princes Ronald and Charlie and Princess Ginevra of the Southern Water Tribe, Lords Neville, Oliver, Seamus and Hagrid and Lady Katie of the Fire Nation, and yes that means I have also bestowed the title of nobility upon all but Neville who was already a lord for their actions and expect all to fill vacant seats in the new House of Lords, Monk Luna of the Western Air Temple and the former lord Pyrites of the Fire Nation, While I do restore your citizenship Pyrites, your literally millions of felony convictions make you ineligible for nobility, though any other rights and privileges of the Roku Cross do apply."

There was a chuckle from the crowd at this. Harry noticed Druzok himself smile at the reaction before he continued his impromptu awards ceremony at the end of his own coronation. The Firelord allowed the crowd to whisper and laugh as he beckoned to the High Sage to bring out the freshly cast awards.

"Please come forward and kneel before me to receive your honors." Druzok said beckoning to Harry and the other perceived heroes from the Liberation of the Fire Nation. As Harry stepped forward, he noticed Druzok give a wary glance at the two Dragon Trainers. "Though Hagrid and Charlie you can wait until later if you do not wish to dismount your fine dragons."

The Fire Sages of the Temple, including the High Sage, came forward each carrying two or three medals on red velvet cushions. The Roku Cross was a gold equidistant cross made out of two jets of burning fire and set into the Fire Nation crest that hung on a red silk ribbon. Druzok took the first, the only one carried by the High Sage, and in front of the now cheering crowd placed it around Harry's neck before helping Harry to his feet and embracing Harry once more. The Firelord repeated it with the other heroes, helping up and embracing all after he bestowed the honor upon them and thanked them for their service, except Charlie and Hagrid who had remained mounted and would receive their medals in a private ceremony, until only Pyrites was left. Harry could tell that Druzok had deleberatly left Pyrites until last.

Over the last month the details of Pyrites actions and his aid had been revealed to the world and it had caused a media frenzy. It had everything that the media feasted on so it was an instant hot take for them. They had a convicted Death Eater who had been sentenced to life for millions of felonies regarding his actions as Voldemort's spymaster and the man responsible for keeping Voldemort on step ahead in the Purity Wars, who had then been the one responsible for bringing that network down. Then he had been the last desperate resort made by the World Leaders to take down Hermione and had been offered a deal of a lifetime that got him out of prison after only 5 years and allowed for lifetime parole within the Fire Nation if Pyrites helped them take down Hermione, which he had been a critical part of. It was journalistic gold and Harry knew that Pyrites was loving every minute of it.

As more details of Pyrites' actions came out, usually through his many interviews, the more the perception of Pyrites changed. Be it uniting the rebels and bringing them together for the Avatar. Fighting by the Avatar's side during the Battle of the Caldera to preserve Harry's energy for later. Successfully killing the bloodthirsty and notorious leader of the Blades in a sword fight in order to save Seamus so that he could persuade General Thomas and turn the military to their side, which was the decisive moment that ensured Hermione's defeat.

The fact that Pyrites had been there from the start of the liberation until then end when he entered the Palace to fight alongside the Avatar once more in the final push to take out Hermione, even helping a wounded Seamus to medical aid had turned the initial outrage towards the news that a convicted Death Eater had played such a pivotal role to respect regarding the man's actions. This led many to understand that in times of great need one must join forces with an enemy to take down a bigger threat. Once all had realized how important and vital Pyrites had been in taken down Hermione, they accepted the deal and even praised him as one of the heroes of the liberation.

As Pyrites swaggered towards Firelord Druzok his usual cocky and confident smirk on his face he lowered himself to one knee, as the others had, bowed his head, and allowed Druzok to bestow the Roku Cross upon him. As Pyrites rose, Druzok embraced him much to even Pyrites's shock. Harry could only hope that one of the cameras had caught the look of shock on Pyrites' face at the Firelord's actions, it was priceless and one that Harry knew he would likely never see again as few things ever shocked Pyrites.

"Thank you." Druzok muttered so that only Harry, the Firelord and Pyrites could here him as he let go of the former Death Eater. "I know how hard it would have been for a man of your convictions to aid us but without you all this likely wouldn't be possible. I know because it was so hard to agree to this deal in the first place after all that you have done to your homeland but as the Avatar pointed out all those months ago, desperate times call for desperate measures. I hereby consider your deal fulfilled and allow you to retire in peace, within the Fire Nation, and begin your lifetime parole."

"Thank you Firelord." Pyrites replied seriously. "Once all this is over once and for all, I shall do retire and while full freedom would be better, I accept the conditions of my parole. Now if the Avatar would be my wing man tonight at the party, between him and this award I should finally get some much needed pussy."

"I will never understand you." Druzok as he let go of Pyrites. "And once this is all done, I hope to only see you on specific, announced, and rare occasions."

"No one does or ever will." Pyrites said with a smile. "And don't worry Firelord, you will only see me whenever I need something from an old friend."

Harry and Druzok sighed as Pyrites turned and returned to the line with the other award recipients to the continued cheers of the crowd. Once all were settled again and Druzok and Harry were all that was left on the top of the stairs, as well as the Fire Sages and World Leaders, Druzok raised his hands for silence once more.

"Thank you for coming out on this fine day." The new Firelord said as the crowd quieted down again. "Tonight we celebrate the restoration of the Fire Nation and the path forward to a brighter, safer and more peaceful future but let us not forget those who we have lost over the past few years and the work we must continue to do to rectify what has been wrought upon our land. Starting tomorrow, the preparations for the fair trials of the most senior criminals from the Fire Utopia who have refused plea deals shall begin in earnest as they had to wait until I was crowned given the severity of their crimes. These trials will culminate in the first capital trial for High Treason in over 100 years, the trial of the leader of the brutal regime that caused unfathomable pain upon this great nation, the trial of Hermione. There will be a lot of pain on the coming weeks, months and years as we continue our long journey of recovery but together we can all heal the deep wounds that Hermione the Cruel, and those loyal to her inflicted upon us. The first step in that healing process is ensuring that justice is fairly met against all those responsible in accordance with the laws of the Fire Nation. Thank you for coming and I hope to see many of y'all later."

Druzok turned to Harry and nodded and the pair turned and walked back into Fire Sages Temple and then on to the Royal Palace to the sound of the gong and the resumed cheers of the assembled crowd. Harry knew the World Leaders, his team, and the other recipients of the Roku Cross would be following them for a private, more relaxed reception before the festivities of the night began in earnest.

Still, though, Harry couldn't help but feel that the weight of all that had happened would not truly begin to lifted from the shoulders of the Fire Nation until Hermione and those who supported her had been convicted of their crimes, sentenced to long prison terms, and the justice they deserve had been met out against them. It would take a while given all the crimes but they had to do it fairly and rightly to show that they were better than Hermione. Harry wasn't looking forward to it but he knew it would have to happen.

The long healing process for the Fire Nation had finally begun with the crowning of a new Firelord. Firelord Druzok.

 **The next chapter will be what is probably expected, Hermione's trial. Her fate is the last arc of this story as we wrap up Book 2.** **That's all for this post chapter note, a** ** **s always** ** ** ** ** **keep letting me know what you think of this story in the reviews and any questions asked in reviews or PMs to me will be answered at the start of next week's chapter, which should be released on time Until next week.************

 ** ** ** ** ** **Stringdog************


	31. Chapter 31

********Here is the 31st chapter in Book 2. Sorry that this is so late, life caught up with me for a while. I'm back though and as this week is supposed to be the final week for Book 2, I will strive to get the final 2 chapters and the epilogue out by Monday. N******** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** **othing**************** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** **else to add here so sit back and enjoy the latest installment in Avatar: The Tale of Harry. Book 2: Equality.****************

 ** ** ** ** **Disclaimer:********** ** ** **As always I own nothing related to either of these two great works of fiction.******

 **Chapter 31**

It took a year for the trial to finally start. That was how long it had taken them to gather all of the needed information pertaining to the crimes that Hermione had, directly or indirectly via her orders and laws, committed during her tenure as Fire Empress. Honestly, it was faster than Harry had expected but Hermione had kept meticulous notes.

The real time commitment had been sorting out and listing all the charges that had been levied against Hermione. This had been a process because it was determined that anything classified as a felony committed by any Chosen, Enforcer of Enlightenment, FUICEE agent, military officer, or Blade that had been a direct order of Hermione's or in accordance with her laws, was classified as a crime. In addition to this, everyone who had died while Hermione was in power, be it from famine or working conditions, were an additional murder count on Hermione's indictment because of her assumed duty to care as the ruler, illegitimate or not.

It was a lot. At last count it had exceeded a million felonies and had to be grouped by crime just to save space. It was the second longest indictment based on number of felonies charged in history, behind only Pyrites's indictment and in that case Pyrites had just pled guilty to all crimes he had committed and the list took 3 years to finalize after experts had finished going through his ledgers. A long indictment without a plea deal would normally ensure a long trial but Hermione had decided to not accept a lawyer and represent herself, which made Harry think that the trial would be short.

As well as the indictment, crimes, and evidence against Hermione and all the other members who had been deemed as complicit in her regime, they had to figure out the judicial panels for the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Fire Utopia. They would be the judges and juries for all the criminals as prescribed under the rules for an International Tribunal. Each nation had sent their requisite 3 judges, or in the case of the Foggy Swamp Tribe 1 judge, and from the pool of 15, the most senior judge from each nation would form the panel at Hermione's trial.

The last thing that had been needed for Hermione's trial, as well as the other high-ranking members who had refused plea deals, was to build a whole new courthouse in the Capital. It had been decided that it would be built right on the spot where Hermione had used the main courthouse in the Fire Nation for the show trials she occasional held during her first year of tyranny before she gave up and just sent people to labor camps or their deaths without trial. The new courthouse was in their memory and to wash away the misery that the last place had been and restore the location to one of true justice.

Now the day had come and given the high profile of the accused and her many crimes, a lot of people had wanted to attend the trial that the larger courthouse helped a little with. It wasn't enough though to provide seats for all the people who wanted to be there so it would also be aired live all over the world on VV across all networks. The first time this had ever been done.

Hermione's trial was set to be the largest and most publicized trial in human history as it wasn't often a former dictator or major enemy of the Avatar went on trial. Kuvira had pled guilty, Voldemort, Ozai and Zaheer, the last one the second time around, had all been convicted in absentia due to the international nature of their crimes and most of the others had died rather than be caught.

However, given that Hermione's crimes had occurred solely within the Fire Nation and its jurisdiction and had been in sole controlled the nation during her dictatorship, she would have to face trial as it had not been possible to convict her in absentia. Between that, her high profile, and the sheer number of crimes she had been accused of meant that her trial would be a spectacle to behold.

It had also been a long year for Harry. He had spent the year running around like a headless chicken pig trying to sort everything out. He had been very busy between sorting out the Fire Nation, helping restore normality and safety to the nation, determining the extent of Hermione's crimes, helping track down the still wanted criminals, and finding and creating a suitable hole to dump Hermione's ass in if she was convicted. Well if she didn't receive the death penalty that was.

All the while he and Ginny were planning their wedding during their limited free time. The night of Druzok's coronation Percy had returned Ginny's betrothal necklace and she had worn it so the world knew that she and Harry were engaged, a fact that had taken the world by storm as it was about time that they got engaged. Many powerful people had offered to help with the wedding so it was more overseeing all the details, and Ginny preventing her mother from having too much of a say, that they had to do. That was good as it allowed them to focus on the Tribunal.

It had been agreed that as Harry was the Avatar the wedding would take place in Omashu as the past 5 Avatar's had all been married in their home nations. Ginny had been fine with that as she knew that if it was in Omashu then her mother would have less influence over it, something she wanted given her mother's habit of controlling every little detail of a wedding.

However, the wedding would still have to wait. Now, after a year of planning, coordinating and preparing it was time for the trial to finally begin. Hermione had refused the offer of a defense attorney, as was her right, and had declared that she would defend herself in what she had referred to as a farce of a trial that she had the indignity to face. Harry hadn't seen Hermione since her arrest, he had been too busy, but he had heard that unlike Voldemort who had been broken by the loss of his bending, Hermione had only been fueled by it.

Druzok, who had been trained as a lawyer in addition to his other qualifications and as the most well versed in Fire Nation law had decided that he would personally prosecute Hermione with the aid of Harry and Neville as his assistants. Hermione had claimed from her prison cell that it was a conflict but the judges had ruled that it was actually required under Fire Nation law that in cases of High Treason, Druzok was the ultimate authority in the nation, had to prosecute it as the crime was personally against him and it was his duty as the Firelord to protect his nation from such a serious crime.

After it had been determined that the head judge from each delegation to the ICTFU would comprise the panel for Hermione's trial, all they had to do was wait until all other prosecutions were done. It was the only fair way to judge Hermione and her collaborators given how most citizens were already convinced of their collective guilt. This way there could, and actually were, some acquittals.

The Chief Judge for the entire ICTFU, and thus the overseer of Hermione's trial, was former President Bagnold from the Air Nation delegation. Alongside her, all trained lawyers, were former Grand Secretariat McPhail of the Earth Kingdom, General Brown of the Fire Nation who was selected as she had spent the 5 years in exile in the United Republic and the former chief military judge of the Fire Nation, Crown Prince Regulus of the Northern Water Tribe, and Prince Lancelot, Arthur's middle brother, to represent the Southern Water Tribe.

Regulus's selection as the head of the Northern Water Tribe's delegation had caused some contention. Not only had Regulus only recently been qualified as a lawyer in Northern Water Tribe law, due to his aid in helping set up the new constitution of his nation, but also because of his past affiliations.

However, given the limited number of trained lawyers and judges the Northern Water Tribe had, and as one of the least prejudiced from the nation, Sirius had appointed his brother the leader of the Northern Water contingent at the ICTFU. Regulus also served as a bridge between the extremes as someone who had firsthand knowledge of the extreme right, understood and was seen as an international expert on extremism, and who had forsworn it unlike Pyrites. In the end, Regulus's rulings had been fair and there was little complaint left about his selection except from the most diehard of Hermione loyalists.

This was the last trial for a captured and willing member of the Fire Utopia government who had actively committed crimes in the furtherance of Hermione's policies. The others had all already been tried, in most cases convicted or pled out, and sentenced by the various judicial panels in accordance with Fire Nation law.

Almost all who had refused plea deals and the chance to cooperate with the Tribunal in tracking down the still at large criminals, including about 30 Chosen, had been convicted. There had been a few acquittals due to frame ups by the FUICEE just in case the Fire Utopia fell but fortunately those wrongly accused had been cleared after reviewing the extensive FUICEE records and after a convicted senior agent had recanted and admitted to lying to get a better deal.

Almost all senior collaborators in Hermione's government, including the senior FUICEE agent who had provided false information to frame enemies of Hermione and get a lighter sentence, had received life without parole sentences, the max under Fire Nation justice for anything short of High Treason. High Treason was a charge that could only be levied against someone who had killed the Firelord and/or taken illegitimate control of the nation through illegal acts. Nonbenders were sent to the Boiling Rock or the Capital Prison Tower depending on space, while benders were transferred to the White Lotus Supermax Prison System.

The other week, in the penultimate trial, the second most senior surviving member, the Director Arabella of the FUICEE, had been convicted on all counts and sentenced to life without parole, and due to her classification as a high-profile prisoner life in solitary confinement, to be served in the Boiling Rock. There had been calls to charge Arabella with High Treason but there was no proof that she had been involved in the actual coup and as such Druzok had decided not to charge Arabella. Besides, there was no way she was ever getting out of her cell alive.

Only Hermione, as the leader, had been charged with High Treason and as such faced the death penalty. The rest had been charged with crimes they committed in their positions for Hermione, along with treason for any who had actively participated in the coup 6 years ago but as they had not killed Iroh they were only guilty of treason, not High Treason. There were still plenty, mainly the surviving Blades who would be charged with the crimes they had committed, who still eluded justice but their time would come, now though it was Hermione's turn to face justice.

The courtroom was packed with the victims who had been fortunate enough to win the lottery and thus be allowed into the gallery, as well as all the World Leaders and the heroes of the rebellion. While Druzok had restored the true purpose of the Dragon Sanctuary both Hagrid and Charlie were in the front row. Alongside them were Ginny and Luna, both wearing their betrothal necklaces, Ron, Seamus, Oliver, Katie and at the end Pyrites, who had used his position as a hero of the rebellion to get a front row seat.

While Pyrites had been allowed to retain his old mansion, he had been forced to donated a portion of his wealth as restitution for his crimes and to aid Druzok in paying back all those who had lost money, land, property and family to Hermione, though Harry had a suspicion that the former spymaster still had plenty of money to spare. Pyrites currently lived in the Capital, aiding where he could as part of his deal and basking in his celebrity status and freedom. Harry hoped that once this trial was over Pyrites would retire to the countryside and never bother them again.

Now all waited for the wooden door to the side of the courtroom, where those who had been denied bail were kept, to be opened and for the Kyoshi Warriors, who had jurisdiction over Hermione, to escort her in. All that they needed was the world's most notorious, living, villain to enter and the trial could finally begin.

After the initial trials were concluded Hermione had been transferred under from the Palace dungeons to the Capital Prison Tower via underground tunnels and under the strictest of security. She was deliberately housed in the same cell that had once housed firstly Iroh and then after the 100-year war his younger brother, the former Firelord Ozai, as the war criminal served out his life sentence.

It was a fitting location for Hermione to await her trial. Harry knew that the night before, Hermione had once again been transported under the strict security protocols for high profile prisoners to a specialized, maximum security, holding cell underneath the courtroom to hold her during the trial, however long it lasted.

Harry sat at the prosecution table between Druzok and Neville as he nervously awaiting the accused to appear. The table was covered in notes and references to the evidence against Hermione, but they knew that the easiest way at a conviction was to let Hermione rant and condemn herself. All things considered, Harry expected the trial to last a few days at most.

Soon Harry could hear the clink of heavy chains and the distinctive shuffling of a person in full restraints moving, audible even over the buzz of conversation in the courtroom. Harry turned to the side door as he heard it open and finally saw Hermione for the first time since she had been taken to the dungeons after her defeat 13 months ago. The trial was about to begin.

The door opened and a fully made up and armed Ty La walked in followed by Hermione and another Kyoshi Warrior while two more stood guard outside. Ty La and the other girl, along with Team Avatar, would make sure that the courtroom was civilized and no one tried to get mob vengeance against Hermione.

Harry studied Hermione as she shuffled into the courtroom, her 13 months in prison clearly showed. She had thinned a bit from the lean diet that prisoners had, her cheeks sunken a little and her hair no longer bushy and vibrant but lank and greasy from lack of care. Clearly Hermione had not adjusted to prison life.

Hermione wore a red prison shirt and pants and flimsy flip flops making her look a lot different from the pristine leader in clean regalia that she had favored during her tenure as dictator of the Fire Nation. Hermione was entitled to wear street clothes but she had refused, claiming that she would show the court how she looked as a falsely accused and illegal detained woman in what Harry assumed was an attempt at sympathy. Harry had a feeling that it wouldn't work

As with all accused or convicted prisoners with the high-profile classification, Hermione's wrists and ankles were cuffed and chained together and attacked to a metal band around her waist, severely limiting her movements. All of the restraints were made of platinum just in case one of her still free supporters attempted to free Hermione while she was in transit.

However, many supporters had forsworn Hermione following her defeat, arrest and loss of bending, as had happened to Voldemort when Harry had taken his bending, they had realized how flimsy the foundations of their support were and it had shattered their views. Those who were still free were likely focused on avoiding capture than freeing Hermione and risking capture due to the extreme security surrounding her.

Then there were a few, like Dennis, who were scheduled to come and testify against Hermione during the trial and were housed in the holding cells awaiting their moment to testify against their former leader. While their testimony would likely be not needed given Hermione's expected incriminating rant, it was still good to have the testimony of Hermione's crimes and orders revealed in open court.

As Hermione approached the defense table, she raised her head high and Harry saw that while she looked defeated due to her prison uniform and restraints, the defiance, hate, rage and determination were still alive in her eyes. They were full of life and intelligence and Harry knew at once that unlike Voldemort, who's psyche had been destroyed by his defeat and loss of bending, Hermione's had not. If anything, it seemed to have added fueled her fire and determination. This was going to be an interesting and memorable trial.

Ty La led Hermione across the area in front of the judges bench, as the stares, jeers and insults of the gathered victims began to grow in intensity and volume. Hermione simply ignored them as she walked tall and with as much purpose towards her table as she could, given her current restraints. As Hermione took her position behind the table, with Ty LA standing guard to her side, Abbess Bagnold banged the gavel in front of her on the judges' bench to bring the court to silence.

"Order in my court." Bagnold called out, clearly augmenting her voice with airbending so that they courtroom fell silent. "Any vocal interruptions during this trial directed at the defendant will result in the individuals being expelled from the courtroom, just as they would in any other trial I have overseen during this Tribunal. I know that this is a heated and emotional trial given the nature of the crimes that the defendant is accused of, but we cannot dissolve into anarchy. This is a court of law, there will be order. Now, Warden Ty La, is the accused safe to be released from her handcuffs? The belly band and leg irons will remain given the defendant's classification."

"She is, madam President." Ty La said with a nod toward Bagnold, using the woman's formal title as a form President of the United Republic.

Ty La then began to undo the cuffs on Hermione's wrists as the former dictator stood by the defense table. Hermione had been allowed material for her defense and copies of all the evidence against her but Hermione had forgone it claiming she didn't need it for what she had classified as a show trial with no legal standing.

"The defendant was stripped of her bending 13 months ago when she was defeated by the Avatar and taken into custody following the end of her illegitimate Fire Utopia government." Ty La said as she finished removing the cuffs but leaving them attached to the belly band. "Hermione has no nonbending fighting skills to note having relied on her firebending when she had it. Should she be a problem I and one of my fellow warriors will be behind her at all times for crowd control and will be ready to restrain her should you order it, madam President."

"Very well and it is Abbess of if you must your honor, not president. I am retired from politics." Bagnold said smiling at Ty La. Hermione moved to sit in her assigned chair at the defense table the court bailiff stepped forward from his position next to the judicial bench.

"All rise the honorable Abbess Bagnold presiding along with Grand Secretariat McPhail, General Brown, Crown Prince Regulus of the Norther Water Tribe and Prince Lancelot of the Southern Water Tribe."

All rose, Hermione being forced to do so by Ty La or else she wouldn't respect the court, at the bailiff's words. Once everyone was standing, the bailiff passed a think file to Bagnold.

"Please be seated." Bagnold said once she had the file and all in the courtroom sat at her order. "The court is now in session for the case of the Fire Nation vs. Hermione, a capital trial in which the prosecution is seeking the death penalty under Fire Nation law for the top indictment and life without parole for the cumulative other counts. The defendant has been charged with."

At this Bagnold looked down at the indictment and her eyebrows raised. Harry knew that this was the first time the Chief Judge of the ICTFU was seeing the full list of crimes that Hermione had been charged with, it was an impressive list.

"One count of High Treason against the Fire Nation in connection with the murder of Firelord Iroh and the illicit usurpation of power in the Fire Nation,." Bagnold began. "Which is the capital charge. 1,983,934 counts of murder in relation to the total number of deaths that occurred as a result of the defendant's policies, actions or orders during her 5 years as Fire Empress. 5,458,832 counts of false imprisonment. 5,921,845 counts of slavery, including lawfully detained prisoners who were subject to unlawful servitude as well as those deemed unlawfully detained. 11,373, 944 counts of various crimes that are classified as crimes against humanity for the atrocities committed as the Fire Empress as Fire Utopia. 68,518,927 felonious violations of civil rights and civil liberties of protected classes or actions."

Bagnold paused at this point to lift up the incitement sheet. Harry knew that there was something attached to it to speed up this part of the trial, otherwise it would take a long time just to read out the full indictment of crimes Hermione had been charged with.

"There is an additional note that the defendant is also charged with all the crimes committed by those under her command, directly by your orders or indirectly in preserving her regime." Bagnold said to the court after reading it. "That I shall not bother to read but it brings the total number of felonies that the defendant is charged with up to well over 100 million. I must say that this is the longest indictment I have ever seen and without a doubt the most felony charges ever presented in a court of law."

Harry heard a snicker from behind him and groaned because he knew that Pyrites had just laughed at the comments of Abbess Bagnold. The former President turned to gaze at the former Death Eater, a look of irritation in her eyes.

"Something funny sir that caused you laugh?" Bagnold asked Pyrites. "This is a serious trial, I will not tolerate rudeness or disrespect in my courtroom."

"Yes mam." Pyrites said and Harry could hear the smile in his voice and groaned inwardly at Pyrites's actions. "You clearly never saw the indictment I pleaded guilty to 6 and a half years ago, it was more than 3 times as long."

"And you are?" Bagnold asked still glaring at Pyrites.

"Former Lord Pyrites." Pyrites said and Harry could hear the flourish in the spymaster's voice. "The convicted spymaster to the Dark Lord who struck a deal with the Avatar and the various World Leaders to aid them in taking down Hermione in exchange for a lifetime parole, after my original deal to take help take down my master resulted in my protection and lenient prison sentence of life with parole. I am here as a guest of the Firelord as one of the heroes of the rebellion, as well as to provide evidence against Hermione, you honor."

"Yes, I know who you are now." Bagnold said as she finally recognized the man. "You are the one who has the warehouses of evidence and charges against him."

"That would be me." Pyrites said smiling proudly at his plethora of criminal convictions. "Though at last count it was four warehouse your honor, I was a busy man and it took them several years to draw up my full indictment."

"Well keep your mouth shut or else I will add contempt of court to your absurdly lengthy rap sheet." Bagnold said coolly. "And that might revoke your parole, something I know you don't want."

"Not at all, I will shut up now your honor." Pyrites said and for once Harry could hear the sincerity in the man's voice. Harry knew that the best way to keep Pyrites in line was to remind him of what would happen if he fucked up.

"Now that that is out of the way, I would like to get on with this trial." Bagnold said returning her focus to the rest of the court. "This is the final active trial of a collaborator from the Fire Utopia's tyrannical and illegitimate regime and then at last the Fire Nation can truly begin healing. Those with warrants out for their arrest will be brought before this Tribunal and the judges who are assigned to remain whenever they are caught. Firelord Druzok, as the prosecutor prescribed by Fire Nation law for a trial involving a charge of High Treason, you shall present your opening statement first so let us begin this trial."

"Thank you Abbess Bagnold." Druzok said standing and walking to the speaking area of the courtroom making sure that his royal robes were as pristine as ever so that he looked as regal as possible. "And thank you too all of you have taken your time to oversee the trials and tribunals of the criminals from the Fire Utopia. On behalf of my nation, I thank you for your service during this painful time."

"We are not criminals." Hermione yelled from her seat. Harry sighed, he owed Ginny 20 yuan's as Ginny had just won the pool on how long before Hermione interrupted Druzok and Ginny had been the only once to suggest before Druzok had even started his opening statement. "We are liberating from tyrants like yourself who wish to oppress, enslave and subjugate the people underneath your boots. I am Enlightened and the only legitimate leader in this room. I am not subject to the jurisdiction of this false tribunal."

Hermione's rant was drowned out by Bagnold banging her gavel. The former leader of the Fire Utopia glared at Bagnold and though Harry could not see Hermione's eyes, he knew that they were filled with hate at the former President. Harry was impressed when Bagnold held Hermione's gaze without flinching, the woman was a lot tougher than she looked but then again she hadn't become the only airbender President of the United Republic by being a pushover.

"The defendant will be silent in my court." Bagnold said firmly at her as soon as Hermione shut up. "That is your first warning, you have two more. If you continue to speak out of turn and interrupt proceedings I will order the Kyoshi Warriors to fully restrain you again and to gag you unless you are permitted to speak such as during your own opening and closing arguments and cross examinations of the witnesses."

"How dare you silence my right to speak you fucking tyrant." Hermione shouted standing so forcefully as she spoke that she caused the chair to topple over. "You are a fucking disgrace to the Air Nation and all that it once stood for. The masters of old would be ashamed that you, an Abbess on the Western Air Temple Council of Elders, would side with these tyrants and oppressors. Then again, you were one yourself once when you were the illegitimate President of the United Republic so it is no wonder that you were chosen for these show trials against the innocent members of my legitimate government."

"Based on the evidence that I have seen, you are the one who suppressed people's freedom of speech while you were the illegitimate ruler of the Fire Nation." Bagnold said coldly, not fazed at all by Hermione's rant. "In fact, most of the felonious civil rights violations against you are for violations of freedom of speech, ironic that you now don't like it that your speech might be silence. Also, this is your second warning. Continue to speak and you will be gagged and restrained and if you continue to swear and insult me with clearly false accusations then I will hold you in contempt and you can watch the trial on VV, I will also file a separate defamation suit against you. Seeing as you are defending yourself, this will leave you without a defense."

That was enough to silence Hermione when she realized that her only chance to plead her case, or at least claim that the whole trial was illegitimate, would be extinguished should she be found in contempt. Sitting on the newly righted chair, Hermione glared at Bagnold as Bagnold indicated to Druzok to continue his opening statement.

"Thank you Abbess Bagnold, I shall get on with my opening statement." Druzok said nodding to her and then the other judges before continuing. "After a year in which we have begun to heal and bringing these heinous criminals to justice, their leader and the architect of the worst dictatorship in human history is finally on trial."

Druzok paused for a moment to let his words sink in. Everyone knew that this was the trial of the century, the Firelord didn't need to remind them, but Harry knew that Druzok was pausing both or emphasis and to show a little respect for those who had suffered under Hermione. Once the Firelord had paused for an appropriate amount of time, he continued with his opening statement.

"Over the course of this trial I, along with Avatar Harry and Lord Neville when I instruct them, will endeavor to show you that the woman at the defense table is guilty of mass murder, slavery, false imprisonment, crimes against humanity, violations of fundamental civil rights on a scale that has been unprecedented since the end of the 100-year war. In addition, I shall do my duty as Firelord and prove that Hermione is guilty of the most serious crime that my nation has on its books and the only crime that calls for the death penalty, High Treason."

Again, Druzok paused for effect. This was more to show the severity of the charges against Hermione than anything else and Harry knew that this pause wouldn't last as long. It didn't and Druzok quickly resumed his statement.

"This is the first time in over a century such a charge has been levied against a citizen of the Fire Nation." Druzok continued. "And it has been done so because of the crimes that she committed when she murdered my grandfather, Firelord Iroh, and illegally usurped power on the Fire Nation. It was as the illegitimate leader of the Fire Nation that Hermione committed her multitude of other crimes."

Harry glanced at Hermione and was amazed that she was staying silent during Druzok's opening statement. She was glaring at the Firelord but otherwise was silent, the threat from Bagnold clearly doing its job.

"During the 5 years of the so-called Fire Utopia, Hermione used the guise of equality and enlightenment to justify some of the most horrific crimes ever seen in the history of humanity." Druzok was saying as Harry snapped his attention back to the Firelord's opening statement. "Crimes that are on par with, if not worse than, those committed by Voldemort during the two Purity Wars and are only surpassed by the horrors inflicted upon the world by my own ancestors during the 100 years war."

Again, Druzok took a moment to pause for both emphasis and reflection. The 100-year war was still a sore spot for the Fire Nation, a blight on the nation's history that it had tried to recover from and rebuild its reputation, a reputation that Hermione had destroyed.

"Today, and if it takes it over the subsequent days, we shall present to you eye witness testimony, documents seized following the Avatar's defeat of Hermione and statements from former deputies within Hermione's government that will all confirm the crimes she has committed." Druzok continued as he began to wrap up his opening statement. "But before I call my first witness and present the case against Hermione, I shall offer her the chance to make an opening statement of her own. I only ask that the court to remind Hermione to keep her obscenity in check during her statement, otherwise the court is hers."

"So noted." Bagnold said with a nod as Druzok returned to his seat before the Abbess and former President turned her gaze to Hermione. "Hermione, you may now make a statement to the court however there will be no swearing or accusations allowed during the statement, any instance of either will cause me to cut your statement short and order you gagged until such a time as you may speak again. You are allowed to present your case for why you believe yourself not guilty of the charges that have been levied against you and summarize the evidence that you have to convince the court of that. Is this understood?"

"As ordered by tyrants, I shall be civil." Hermione said with contempt as she rose and shuffled in her leg irons to the center of the courtroom. "I shall keep this brief and to the point for this is probably the only time I will be allowed to actually speak during this false tribunal."

Bagnold cleared her throat to show that Hermione had started on thin ice but Hermione ignored the Chief Judge. This was her moment and Harry knew that Hermione would try to capitalize on it as much as possible.

"I know that I am innocent of all charges as I am on of only six people deemed to be a member of the Enlightened." Hermione continued in a condescending tone that Harry had long since associated with her. "Therefore, as an Enlightened and the leader of our order, I am the only legitimate ruler in the world. Only a being who has been enlightened to all the ills of the world and knows what needs to be done to ensure equality in the world is through my enlightened laws that must be followed without question. What I say is law because I am enlightened, no one else can make the law and as such I am not guilty of any violations for the law is what I say it is. Anything else is illegitimate and therefore I am innocent of all the charges brought against me by this tribunal because it is an illegitimate tribunal."

Harry had to control himself to prevent his mouth from falling open. Hermione was still as delusional as ever, her defense was that this whole tribunal was illegitimate because of her own entitled notions of enlightenment, her arrogance and her narcissism. It took all of Harry's self-restraint to remain impassive as he continued to listen to Hermione's opening remarks.

"I vehemently deny any of the crimes levied against and here is why." Hermione continued as she paced, her leg irons clinking loudly as she walked. "And I shall do so by addressing each aspect of the false indictment against me, starting with the high treason charge. Did I kill the tyrant, and illegitimate ruler of the Fire Utopia, Iroh the Oppressor? Yes, yes I did. I executed him for his countless crimes against humanity, for his tyranny, for his oppression and enslavement and exploitation of his own people in the furtherance of his own wealth and those of his cronies. He was the embodiment of the patriarchy, of the privileged elite purebloods who discriminated against nonbenders and first-generation benders like myself so that they can advance themselves on the backs of our labor. He was sexist, misogynistic, bigoted and racist in the extreme and I ended him and freed the Fire Utopia from his tyrannical dictatorship. What I did was execute a tyrant who had broken my enlightened laws, there was nothing illegal about it."

Hermione paused at this point as if to prove that she was correct. All Harry could do was prevent a smirk. Hermione had just admitted in open court to the High Treason charge, her justification being her claims of enlightenment would not save her. They had already won the trial but they would keep letting Hermione hang herself, it would be decent practice for when she was actually hung in accordance with Fire Nation law for those convicted of High Treason.

"On the almost 2 million murder charges that have been falsely laid against me, again, I am not guilty for any of the deaths that occurred during my benevolent and enlightened reign." Hermione continued before glaring directly at Harry as she continued. "A reign that was illegally cut short by the Avatar when he committed terrorism and treason by attacking the Crucible of Enlightenment and removing me from power and for violating me by stripping me of my bending, a gift bestowed upon me by Raava herself as one of her Chosen. All the deaths that have occurred were of criminals who died either due to their crimes against the legitimate and enlightened laws I created, or who perished in the fair prison camps that I, in accordance with my own laws, set up for all those who committed crimes against my legal government, or who were killed resisting their lawful arrest. Therefore, once again, I am not guilty of anything as I was acting within the scope of my own enlightened laws."

Again, Hermione paused, this time giving the room a look of utter contempt and superiority. Harry had seen some of the other trials, the ones of those who had been the most fanatical, and they were all the same, they admitted to the crimes but claimed no jurisdiction as they only recognized Hermione's laws. Hermione was just invoking her own views this time rather than a superior's as the others had.

"Therefore, because the laws were legal as I was the one issuing them, I am not guilty of the false imprisonment charges as well." Hermione continued, her tone getting more arrogant and condescending as she went on. "Because all those I sentenced to life in prison were guilty of crimes, and the sentence was hard labor for the rest of their lives, and because under my laws prisoners have no rights, so the slavery charges are void as well. As for all the crimes against humanity charges, I did not commit any crimes against humanity but rather I am the restorer of humanity and that is what I did. I punished those who had committed crimes against humanity and did not commit them myself, therefore I cannot be guilty of something I restored and never once violated."

Once more Hermione paused and glared at the judges, Harry, Druzok, and everyone else in the courtroom. Harry was trying to not shake his head at Hermione's opening statement so far. She honestly seemed to believe that not only that she was right but that the judges would side with her when the time came, a bubble Harry was looking forward to seeing burst.

"As for millions of false allegations of violations of civil rights, again I did not do that." Hermione continued still glaring at everyone. "I admit that I did silence any speech that was against my views, but that was not a violation of free speech because anything against my views, anything that offends me in any way, constitutes hate speech and under my enlightened laws hate speech is not protected speech."

Harry knew that what Hermione had just said was false, at least to everyone but her. Hate speech was classified as a protected category of speech in every nation, and had been for decades, so long as it did not incite imminent lawless action. In fact, the statute in the Fire Nation only mentioned hate speech as protected because of the term, there was not set definition of what was categorized as hate speech. Once more, Hermione's own arrogance and expectation to be treated above the law had led her to confess to her crimes in open court, crimes that added together would see her spent over 100 million years in prison, summed up in the simple term life without parole.

"Therefore, by this statement alone I have proven that I, as an Enlightened, am not guilty of any of these false charges that have been egregiously levied against me." Hermione said with a confident arrogance that amazed Harry, he had no idea how she was able to maintain such surety but somehow she was able to do so. "Therefore, I should be freed and reinstated in my rightful position as Fire Empress of the Fire Utopia immediately. I also demand that these tyrants, terrorists and traitors who dare prosecute me be arrested for their crimes at once and detained until I can give my righteous justice against them for all of their heinous crimes. Lastly, I ask the court to order the tyrannical and racist Avatar to restore my bending that he illegally took at once for I am a Chosen, selected by Raava to have bending and it should never be removed."

Hermione stood tall and proud, defiant to everything, in the center of the courtroom as she finished her statement. Harry could no longer control it as his mouth fell open at the sheer audacity of Hermione's words. Not only had she rejected the authority of the court, she had had the balls to demand reinstatement to her illegally seized position and the arrests of himself, Druzok and Neville. It appeared the former dictator had no limits to her delusions.

However, that was not the end of Hermione's opening statement. She returned to stand behind her table and fixed Bagnold with an icy stare and added one last thing that left Harry flabbergasted at Hermione's boldness and complete loss of reality.

"I hereby use my authority as an Enlightened, as the Fire Empress, and as the only legitimate authority in the world to order the judges to immediately clear me of all these false charges and to do what I have just ordered of them."

"No." Bagnold said bluntly to Hermione as she sat back down behind the defendant's table, a look of shock on her face at the Chief Judge's rejection of her audacious orders. "The World Leaders and the Avatar have already ruled that you were never the legitimate leader of the Fire Nation so you have no power to order us to do anything. This is a ruling that is not at question in this case nor is it appealable or open for further judgement. Furthermore, because of the serious crimes you have been accused of and the fact that the prosecution has presented enough evidence to support an indictment on all counts, you must face a fair trial under Fire Nation law and in accordance with the rules of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Fire Utopia. As such, your motion, whatever it is as it wasn't a legal motion recognized by this Tribunal, is denied. With opening statements now over, I ask the Firelord to produce his first witness."

"I do not recognize the other World Leaders or the evil Avatar as legitimate leaders and as an Enlightened, their authority is not valid over me, only mine is valid over them." Hermione shouted standing up once again and sending her chair crashing to the floor of the courtroom for a second time. "I am the only legitimate leader in the world, not them. I do not recognize their claims to leadership, which makes them illegitimate in the eyes of my unquestionable law. I am innocent of all charges because all of my actions were in accordance of, and for the furthering of, my own enlightened and equal laws. I order you to release me at once. I know that this farce of a trial will find me guilty of false charges if allowed to continue a moment longer so you must respect my orders and release me, and all my faithful supporters, now."

"Ty La gag and restrain her." Bagnold ordered as soon as Hermione paused to take a breath and continue her latest rand. Before Hermione could react, Ty La had chi blocked the former bender from behind and began cuffing her wrists to restrain her before the Kyoshi Warrior gagged Hermione.

"That was your final outburst Hermione." Bagnold continued once the gag was in place. "You will be immobilized for the rest of the trial, it will take a while for that chi blocking to wear off anyway, and the gag will only be removed so that you may cross examine witnesses presented by the prosecution or present your own witnesses. All evidence that has been submitted to the court has been provided to you and you have declined to question it but we will allow you to raise any objections to the evidence when Firelord Druzok official enters any documents or exhibits into evidence. Now that there will be no more interruptions, Firelord please present your first witness."

"Thank you Abbess." Druzok said with a respectful nod towards Bagnold as Hermione just glared from her seat at the Chief Judge. "For my first witness, I call my own sister, Crown Princess Izra to the stand. She is the sole surviving witness from Hermione's coup and witnessed the defendant's execution of our grandfather first hand. In addition, I request that the Avatar be allowed to truth see all the witness statements to verify their accuracy."

Hermione screamed against her gag and Harry knew that she would object his appointment as truth seer and very likely be successful as Harry was technically part of the prosecution team. Raising, Harry looked at Bagnold to address the court and sort out the issue before it could delay any of the proceedings.

"Abbess Bagnold, as much as I would be honored to be the truth seer for the court I must recuse myself from the role." Harry said formally and respectfully to the old airbender who had been tasked with running both the ICTFU and Hermione's trial. "As a member of the prosecution's team, I feel that I will not be seen as impartial in my duties, despite always being so in the past. Therefore, I propose that an impartial and trusted truth seer be suggested to the court and that we allow Hermione to suggest one as well and allow the Chief Judge to decide who to use. The prosecution would like to put forward former professor of zoology at Raiko University and current President of Ba Sing Se University, a known and impartial truth seer, President Scammander as the truth seer for this trial. President Scammander has been the court appointed truth seer at previous trials of both members of the Fire Utopia government, the Purists following the end of the Second Purity War, and even high-ranking members of the Earth Empire during the Kuvira Incident. He is here today in the courthouse, waiting to be called to service."

"He is acceptable to us." Bagnold said nodding, as did the other judges, all of whom had presided over at least one trial in which the Ba Sing Se University President had been the court appointed truth seer. "He is a licensed and trusted truth seer with an impeccable reputation. Is this choice of truth seer acceptable to the defense?"

"He is not." Hermione said as soon as the gag was removed by Ty La and deliberately not adding any title to Bagnold, a clear sign of disrespect towards the Tribunal as a whole and the form President of the United Republic in particular. "I do not trust any who have not been selected by me to be impartial during this farce of a trial. Only I can judge a truth seer and I do not accept Scammander as the truth seer. At least the Avatar had the sense to admit he would lie, Scammander I doubt would have that much honor to admit his own impartiality. I counter with the appointment of Chosen Justin as court truth seer and an order to automatically overturn all trials in which Scammander was the truth seer on grounds of perjury and false truth seeing. Justin is a close friend of mine and loyal Chosen in the Earth Kingdom who should have traveled here in support of me and as he was not present during my enlightened reign, he would not have been falsely accused of following my enlightened laws by this illegitimate Tribunal. I trust him and only him. Now do as I command."

"Justin, son of now former Grand Secretariat Fletchley, was arrested 7 months ago following evidence provided by a convicted Chosen and taken from your own records." McPhail said looking sternly at Hermione as the gag was reapplied to the still immobilized defendant. "He was charged with treason, attempted murder of the Earth King, and conspiracy to overthrow the Imperial States of the Earth Kingdom. It would appear that you had a plan to overthrow the Earth Kingdom and install Justin as your puppet leader there, or former Professor Cresswell depending on the conflicting evidence that has been collected. Justin was convicted last month of all charges he had been indicted on and sentenced to life without parole in the White Lotus Earthbending Supermax Prison while his father resigned in disgrace. Also, given that he is your sycophant, he would not be a trustworthy truth seer unlike President Scammander who's reputation precedes him. I concur with Abbess Bagnold, President Scammander is acceptable to the court."

One of the Kyoshi Warriors left the room at McPhail's pronouncement to go and fetch the old truth seer. Hermione screamed into the gag that had been reapplied to the former Fire Empress and Harry was pleased they couldn't hear her no doubt vulgar and delusional ravings for once.

In short order, the Kyoshi Warrior returned leading an old man leaning on a cane into the courtroom and slowly escorted him to a chair by the witness stand where he could sit and truth see the witnesses. The witness stand and the chair for Scammander were on the same level and on stone so the experienced and skilled earthbender and respected zoologist could do his job and ensure that all witnesses were telling the truth.

After Scammander had sat down on the chair, Izra walked in. The Crown Princess was done up in the full regalia befitting her station, but she still looked a little thin and had a slightly haunted look in her eyes, eyes that never once looked over towards Hermione out of fear of the restrained and gagged woman at the defense table. Izra sat down at the witness stand and the bailiff approached her with a copy of the perjury statute.

"Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth on penalty of perjury." The bailiff said raising his right hand and indicating that Izra should do the same while her left hand rested on the statute.

"I do." Izra said firmly and Scammander nodded at the truth of the statement. Once that was confirmed Druzok walked up to his sister.

"Izra, I know that this is hard but please tell the court of the day our grandfather was murdered." Druzok said kindly. "Please, do not hold anything back, the world needs to know what happened."

"Do not worry, I have relived the events of that day every night for the last 6 years." Izra said with defiance and only a slight tremble in her voice though she continued to look at Druzok and not at Hermione. "It was the night of the Battle of the Elemental Academy, a night that should have been joyous given what the Avatar accomplished but one that will always haunt me for the rest of my life. I remember clearly because after the raids that the FNIS had conducted following the information given to us by Pyrites, the throne room in the Palace had been converted back into what it was during the 100-year war given the multiple arrests regarding the Fire Assembly."

At this point Izra paused and took in a shaky breath. Druzok wisely gave his sister a few moments to compose herself before she continued with her already powerful testimony.

"Our grandfather was going to allow you to restore the Fire Assembly as your first act as Firelord after he had abdicated." Izra said looking at Druzok. "But I digress. I was present with Iroh, the general in charge of coordinating the Fire Nation Army from the throne room and a handful of advisors when we learned we had been betrayed. How Hermione had gotten into the Capital, let alone the Palace, given how she was wanted by the FNIS I would not learn until later when she told me servants loyal to her had let her and her Chosen in so that they could execute their coup while the world prayed for the Avatar's victory over Voldemort."

Izra took another deep breath and paused yet again, longer this time though. Harry knew that the princess was coming to the key moment and needed a moment to be ready to recall what had to be the worst experience of her life. Druzok allowed his sister her moment.

"It happened suddenly and without warning." Izra continued when she was ready. "The, the traitor used her lightning generation to blow the doors off and sent in her Chosen and followed them in so that she wouldn't be harmed, she used them as human shields. Grandfather reacted instantly and killed one of the Chosen as was his training. Hermione proceeded to call our grandfather a murderer for acting in self-defense. She then called the Firelord, our kind, generous and loved grandfather, a tyrant and all the other false accusations she has laid at his feet to besmirch his great legacy. She sent the Chosen to do her bidding and to die while they tried capture us while she stayed back and refused to risk her own life. I have never seen such callous disregard for one's troops in my life."

At this Izra paused to briefly glance at Hermione before looking back at Druzok. It was clear that she was still afraid of the woman who had imprisoned her for 5 years as a hostage to prevent an all-out war and that fear helped their case against Hermione. After a deep breath, Izra continued with her testimony.

"The Kyoshi Warriors fought bravely and with honor to protect us as was their duty but died to the superior forces." Izra said, the sadness finally creeping into her voice. "Hermione did try to take a cheap shot at Iroh while he was distracted, and he would have died a few minutes early had Captain Suki not pushed him out of the way and died in his stead, the way she had been trained to do."

At this point Izra had to pause to wipe a tear away before continuing, it was a testament to her willpower that she was not crying but Harry knew that the damn would burst as soon as the princess's testimony was over. All this time, Hermione was just looking at Izra with pure hatred and utter contempt.

"After Suki died, the remaining warriors fought to the death before the Firelord surrendered and Hermione had him and myself restrained." Izra said as another tear traced its way down her face but the Crown Princess plowed on with her testimony. "One of the Chosen who had restrained me, and molested me in the process, asked Hermione if I could become a sex slave to the Chosen and while she said other of my friends would become whores, a fact she made sure I knew all the details of during my imprisonment, I was too valuable for to be sold into sexual slavery. It sickened me to see that a woman would do this to her own gender but it was crimes committed by her side so Hermione allowed it and excused it."

"We know all about the rapes and forced prostitutions." Druzok interrupted softly as he tried to steer the testimony back on topic. "Hermione has been charged with those crimes as well and that evidence will be introduced later, along with witnesses who will testify to her actions excusing mass rapes and sexual slavery of her enemies. For now, we need to know what happened after you and the Firelord were captured."

"Yes, sorry." Izra said as she dapped at another tear that was forming in her eye. "After Hermione spared me the no doubt gang rape I would have suffered at the hands of all the Chosen present, they all made it clear that they wanted me, the 3 other Enlightened entered the throne room. They praised Hermione for her actions in freeing the Fire Nation from what they saw as tyranny but the rest of the world saw as benevolence. Then, in front of my own eyes, Hermione decapitated the Firelord with Cresswell's axe and I feinted."

"She speaks the truth." Scammander said to the court once it was clear that Izra was done testifying. "Every statement she made was the truth, at least as Princess Izra sees it."

"Thank you." Bagnold said with a nod to Scammander. "Ty La, you may remove the gag on Hermione so that she may cross examine this witness."

"Firstly, I condemn the false imprisonment and wrongful conviction of Chosen Justin." Hermione said as soon as the gag was removed, continuing to glare at Bagnold, though shifting some attention to McPhail. "He is a noble Chosen and above the law of tyrants such as King Wu. The plans were to end the tyrannical Wu and restore equality to the Earth Kingdom and by the power vested in me as the Fire Empress and leader of the world, I hereby overturn his conviction and release him immediately. Anyway, I have no questions for this witness, this spawn of tyrants and future oppressor of her own nation. The illegitimate princess is telling the correct tale of the events of my glorious liberation of the Fire Utopia. All I have to say is that the events were done to break the shackles of Iroh's oppression, free the Fire Utopia and my actions were the legal execution of a tyrant, followed by my coronation as Fire Empress Hermione the Savior by my fellow Enlightened this recognizing me as their leader and the true leader of the Fire Utopia, nee the world."

"Very well you are dismissed Princess." Bagnold said making a note and ignoring Hermione's orders for Justin's release and continued aggrandizing of herself. Izra nodded and got up and left and took a seat in the front row and was instantly comforted by Luna as she broke down into silent sobs at what she had had to relive. "Firelord you may present your next witness."

The rest of the trial unfolded as expected. Druzok called forth a series of witnesses who had experienced the horrors of Hermione's regime, along with various Chosen, FUICEE agents, Enforcers, military commanders, and Blades who had all accepted deals to testify against Hermione and confirm her orders and intentions in exchange for the possibility of parole/release at some point. They all said the same thing, that Hermione had ordered their actions directly or indirectly through her policy of 'by any means necessary' in which Hermione turned a blind eye to the actions of her subordinates so long as they produced the desired results of maintaining Hermione's grip on power and the execution of her laws.

Every time all Hermione said was that she was the legitimate leader, that she was innocent of all charges, that all she had done was for the betterment of the Fire Utopia and that the trial was an illegitimate farce designed to justify the execution of the only legitimate leader. It was basically everything that Harry had expected from Hermione.

At the end of the witness testimony, Druzok entered into evidence all the reports on the prisons, the executions, and other actions of the Fire Utopia, most of which had been recorded by the FUICEE on Hermione's orders and had not been destroyed. Again, Hermione claimed that all of her actions were legitimate, lawful in her eyes, and that she had done nothing wrong.

Finally, by the end of the day, it was time for closing arguments. The trial had gone a lot faster than Harry had expected by the evidence was overwhelming and Hermione was not helping her case at all with her constant admission of her crimes, attempts to justify them, and not refuting any evidence or witness testimony.

"In closing I believe that I have presented sufficient evidence to convict the defendant of all charges." Druzok said to the judges as he paced in front of their bench. "I have called multiple witnesses from all walks of life over the last 5 years, and representatives of all aspects of Hermione's government, all of whom, the honorable Professor Scammander has confirmed their testimony regarding Hermione's crimes and her guilt to be truthful. Furthermore, I have shown multiple records of her crimes that were recorded by the Fire Utopia government or the FUICEE, Hermione's secret police. Lastly, by her own admission Hermione has claimed and has been proven truthful, that she committed High Treason in the murder of Firelord Iroh and all the other crimes she has been accused of committing. Therefore, I ask this respected panel, using the overwhelming evidence provided, to find her guilty of all charges and impose the mandatory sentence of death for High Treason and a sentence of life without the possibility of parole for the cumulative total of Hermione's other crimes. Thank you."

"We shall take all provided to this court into account." Bagnold said before looking at the gagged Hermione. "Hermione you are allowed to present your case or make a final statement should you chose to at this time."

"All I have to say is that I am innocent of all crimes because all alleged crimes cannot be levied against the legitimate and enlightened ruler of the Fire Utopia who was acting in accordance with her own laws." Hermione spat once the gag was removed. "I know that I am innocent and I order you to find me such and arrest the true criminals in this courtroom today, those who prosecuted me and raised arms against my enlightened and benevolent rule. However, I know that this is just a show trial and the verdict a forgone conclusion so go ahead and make your judgement and condemn the only legitimate and enlightened leader in the world to death and officially restore tyranny and oppression to the Fire Utopia."

When Hermione was done she was gagged once more. After a pause while the judges murmured to one another to confirm that Hermione had officially made a closing statement and rested her defense, Bagnold rose, followed by the other 4 judges.

"The judges shall now retire to come to a verdict as to the charges against Hermione." Bagnold said to the court before she and the other judges turned and filed out of the courtroom to an antechamber to make their decision.

Harry knew that there was little doubt to the outcome given how the trial had progressed and less than a minute after the judges left, they returned. It was the fasted decision of the entire Tribunal, though one that had been a foregone conclusion by the end of Hermione's opening statement. Harry knew he would have to talk to Druzok after the verdict was read, but they had to hear it first to officially put this chapter in the Fire Nation's history to rest.

"Ty La, help the defendant up so that she can stand and hear the verdict of the court, but keep the gag in place." Bagnold ordered. Ty La did so and forced a defiant looking Hermione to her feet.

"Hermione." Bagnold said to the glaring girl. "Based on the multitude of evidence, the truthfulness of the witness testimonies against you, and your own statements, this court has found you guilty of all charges in the indictment. Under Fire Nation law, pursuant to a conviction of High Treason, you are hereby sentenced to death pending a reprieve of life without parole from the Firelord or a successful appeal within the next 90 days. Due to the multitude of the other counts against you, you are also sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole for all other convictions. Court is adjourned, take the criminal to her special holding cell pending formal issuance of the death sentence in the morning."

With that Bagnold banged the gavel making the sentence official and the courtroom erupted in cheers as Hermione bellowed against her gag and thrashed in her restraints causing Ty La and the other Kyoshi Warrior with her to seize the former dictator. It had been as expected and the sentence of death for High Treason confirmed.

Harry smiled, the whole ordeal was finally over but he still had to speak to Druzok at once. There was one more thing that had to be done and then at last the whole chapter of the Fire Utopia could be closed and left to the annals of history as a testament of what happens when extremes seize power and force their views upon a nation and are too afraid of those views being challenged to allow any other opinion, no matter the cost.

It was a sorry chapter but one that Harry would make sure was not forgotten and that the world learned from this incident. However, most of all, Harry was just glad that it was finally over, well almost over.

 **Sorry for the length, there was a lot to deal with in this chapter, hopefully the final full chapter won't be as long but given what happened in this chapter and how Hermione finally faces justice, the length was needed. Only one more full chapter to go to wrap up the whole story and then a short and sweet epilogue to end Book 2. That's all for this post chapter note, a** ** **s always** ** ** ** ** **keep letting me know what you think of this story in the reviews and any questions asked in reviews or PMs to me will be answered at the start of next week's chapter, which should be released on time Until next week.************

 ** ** ** ** ** **Stringdog************


	32. Chapter 32

**Here is the 32nd and final full chapter in Book 2. Again, sorry that this is late but life happens sometimes. This is out before the self imposed deadline of Book 2 and the epilogue will follow in a day or two.** ** ** ** **N******** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** **othing**************** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** **else to add here so sit back and enjoy the latest installment in Avatar: The Tale of Harry. Book 2: Equality.****************

 ** ** ** ** **Disclaimer:********** ** ** **As always I own nothing related to either of these two great works of fiction.******

 **Chapter 32**

"Order." Bagnold called banging to gavel to silence the cheering crowd. "There will be order in my court."

Bagnold kept banging the gavel until the whole courtroom was quiet. Only once the room was quiet again did Bagnold continue speaking.

"We shall resume tomorrow where the Firelord shall decide whether or not the sentence of death issued to the convicted shall be carried out, and if so how." Bagnold said as soon as she could be heard. "While I, as an airbender, am opposed philosophically to the death penalty, this has been a trial within the Fire Nation and under their laws and the only punishment for a conviction of High Treason is death and this court will respect the laws of the Fire Nation. As for the other crimes, Hermione has been sentenced to life without the possibility of parole because it is pointless to count the number of years she has cumulatively received for her crimes. Also, as prescribed by Fire Nation law for such crimes, all sentences will run consecutively. Ty La, now that all this is official, you may take the prisoner to her special maximum-security cell beneath the courthouse. Thank you all for your time, please leave in an orderly fashion. This Tribunal is over."

Bagnold banged her gavel once more and it was over. There were still trial for those who had not been caught but only one judge from each nation would remain assigned as the expected caseload would lesson now. A special appeals court attached to the ICTFU would be formed in the coming weeks but that was not of Harry's concern. His job had been to end Hermione's regime and see her face justice, and Harry had completed his job.

Harry just sat down in relief behind the prosecution table with Druzok as the judges got up and left to their chambers while the spectators began to leave. Ty La and her fellow warrior, with Team Avatar keeping an eye out, helped a still gagged Hermione and practically dragged the restrained criminal out of the courtroom and towards her temporary holding cell via special passageways created for security purposed.

"Firelord, I would like a private a word once everyone is gone." Harry said to Druzok as the gallery began to clear out, Harry knew that they would soon be alone.

By this point, Ty La and the other Kyoshi Warrior had already marched Hermione out of the courtroom so the only thing left was for the rest of the room to clear. The trial had taken all day but it had been worth it. Harry was surprised it had taken only a day but then again the evidence had been overwhelming and Hermione hadn't defended herself in any real way other than to ignore the legitimacy of the court and continue to proclaim her rightful and enlightened rule.

"Of course, Avatar." Druzok said smiling at Harry and breaking the Avatar out of his thoughts on the conclusion of Hermione's trial.

As they waited, the rest of Team Avatar remained, Harry trusted them to be here for this conversation with the Firelord, while everyone else cleared out. The senior judges who had overseen Hermione's trial were staying in the nearby hotel and would leave once the sentence against Hermione had been carried out, their work officially done.

Everyone else had either gone home or to celebrate the conviction of the last Fire Utopia governmental official in custody. At last, the one who had been ultimately responsible for the horrors the country had been through during the 5 years of the Fire Utopia had faced justice and the nation could truly begin to heal.

"It is about your decision tomorrow regarding Hermione's sentence." Harry said once it was only the 6 of them left in the courtroom. "When we were on the General Moody sailing into Capital Harbor, we spoke of Hermione's potential punishment and I suggested throwing her into a hole away from the Fire Nation where only we and the other world leaders knew where she was so that she would never harm another soul again, nor could she become a rallying point for those who are still influenced by her views. All of this under the guard of Ty La and the Kyoshi Warriors of course."

"I remember." Druzok said with a nod. "But she has been convicted of High Treason and sentenced to death. That sentence is mandatory, she will swing from the gallows or fry in the chair within the next 90 days as prescribed by law."

"Yes, well, about that." Harry said trying to think about how to best word what he wanted the Firelord to do. "As you know, I am a supporter of the death penalty in certain circumstances, this one being a prime example of such a circumstance, but there are times when I feel like it may be for the best to commute a death sentence to life without parole. There are a certain set of circumstances when, though death is the appropriate sentence, it has long term repercussions that could come back to bit us in the ass down the line."

"Ok, I am not sure where you are going with this Harry." Druzok interrupted, a look of confusion on his face at Harry's words.

"I am getting the Druzok." Harry said, for once addressing the Firelord by his first name given the setting they were in. "I remember back when Voldemort was defeated and captured, there was a move to void his sentence in absentia of life without parole so that he could be tried and given the death penalty. However, given what I had done to him, it was seen as a much more fitting punishment for him to serve life without parole and without his bending. Well that and the fact that no one wanted to go through a trial of Voldemort and his crimes."

"And you think that this may be one of those times." Druzok said stroking his beard in thought, it seemed that the Firelord was starting to see where Harry was coming from. "I said I will listen to your advice, and as the Avatar your word cares a lot and your reputation precedes you. Spit it out Harry, let me know what you think and speak honestly, you do not need to beat around the bush for me."

"Very well I will do as you request." Harry said with a bow of his head at the Firelord. "When I had Hermione caught and at my mercy she challenged me, almost begged me in fact, to kill her. She claimed that her death would make her a martyr and a rallying point for those who wanted her enlightened leadership to be restored. It would make her in to an icon to rally around, her laws would become gospel and more would rally to her cause because of what she would see as her murder, and as she was a captive at that point it would be murder. I, however, did not give into her bait and spared her to face trial, though I did take her bending after she insulted Raava and claimed justification for her evil because she did it in the Avatar Spirit's name."

"And you think that I should commute her death sentence to life without parole." Druzok said looking Harry in the eye as he spoke. "Given what she did to my nation, that is a big ask, even from Avatar."

"I know but hear me out a little more and then think on my advice." Harry said raising his hand to prevent Druzok from speaking so that he could further explain his reasoning. "While it is true that we have broken the Chosen and those who support the Enlightened by defeating Hermione, she still enjoys a lot of support from those who bought her bullshit but didn't participate in her regime or weren't in the Fire Nation at the time. I believe that executing her, as much as she deserves to swing for her crimes, may appear to them to be the move of a tyrant and bolster the Enlightened's argument against us. It could even be a new tool for them to start recruiting followers again."

"You still think the Enlightened are still a threat?" Druzok asked seriously. "We have Hermione in custody and convicted of numerous crimes. Their one place where they held power, the Fire Nation, has been freed from their grip and we have already foiled future plots in the Earth Kingdom, Southern Water Tribe and Northern Air Temple to overthrow those governments or temple, as well as plots in at least a dozen Imperial States."

"While we have been successful, I do still believe that the Enlightened pose a threat." Harry said with certainty in his voice. "Remember that 4 of the 5 leaders are still alive and at large and after 6 years in solitary confinement, it is safe to assume that Warren will never cooperate with us. She will die in the Catacombs Prison Complex without ever spilling a word on her fellow Enlightened. I believe that we could avoid this martyrdom that Hermione and the Enlightened want if Hermione is executed by having her sentence commuted to life without parole. Then we send her to a specialty prison, one that I have personally built with the aid of the Kyoshi Warriors, and it is in a secret and remote location. Who knows, perhaps she will eventually crack when she realizes that she will spend between 50 and 70 years in a solitary cell with no contact but her guards, that could get her to talk down the line."

"I see and you had this prison prepared specially for Hermione?" Druzok asked and Harry knew that Druzok was starting to see his point and consider his idea. "Though I doubt that Hermione, or Warren for that matter, will ever betray the Enlightened so that point is moot."

"I personally made sure that the prison for Hermione and Hermione alone has been set up." Harry confirmed, deciding not to discuss the possibility of Hermione cooperating in the future as he agreed with the Firelord, it was unlikely to happen.

"When I picked up Pyrites from his prison I tasked Ty La with finding a potential new prison just in case the Golguth prison was not suitable." Harry continued. "Given that Hermione no longer has her firebending, there is no need for a prison designed to negate a firebender's abilities so I suggest this new prison I have made. Besides, when you find out where it is you will realize that it is much more fitting."

"Where is it?" Druzok asked. "I presume that the prison you have built is sufficiently remote and as escape proof as possible though."

"I'll tell the World Leaders once she is there, for security purposes." Harry said with a smile. "Given who the prison will house, if you decide to commute her sentence, its location will be classified at the highest possible level. Rest assured that it is very remote and as escape proof as possible. Even if Hermione did manage to escape, she would die before she got 10 miles away from it."

"Very well and the rest of you agree with this course of action?" Druzok asked the other members of Team Avatar. "I know that Harry will have spoken about this to you all and gotten your input on the issue so I want that input as well."

"I think it is the best, if not the only, course of action given what Hermione's execution could mean for those who believe her crap." Ron said, speaking for the others as he had been the one who Harry had spoken to most about this idea. "Harry is right in putting her in a hole far away is for the best. It shows that she will not be martyred for her beliefs and that we have mercy by not executing her, something Hermione never had and could look good for us when pointing it out to those who still support her. Hermione will rot by herself for the rest of her life, alone and cut off from all those who support, enable, and encourage her, under the watchful guard of the Kyoshi Warriors. There will be no rallying behind her execution, she will become a forgotten villain of history only brought up to scare young children in the Fire Nation or to teach people of the dangers of extreme views and the horrors of her dictatorship."

"Very well, I shall take it all under advisement and you will know tomorrow in court." Druzok said after a moment's thought on Ron's words. "Now, though, I must retire it has been a long, hard, day and a very painful one for Izra in particular. I need to make sure she is ok tonight, she is tough but there is still a long road ahead of her before she can be truly healed."

"Of course, go be with your sister and your people Firelord." Harry said as he stood up and bowed formally to the Firelord. Druzok too stood and returned the bow and then turned and left the courtroom via the same exit as the judges.

"Well let's get back to the Palace, we can finally relax." Harry said to his friends before turning towards the front door of the courtroom. "Only one more day before this whole terrible chapter in history is closed and we can focus on more important things, like the two weddings we are still planning. Well, maybe a few days longer if I have to transfer Hermione to the prison I created."

"And the joint bachelor parties we have planned." Ron said laughing as they walked out. Ron and Luna would get marry shortly after Harry and Ginny in the Southern Water Tribe but as Harry had proposed first he and Ginny would get married first.

"And the joint hen parties." Luna said with a wink at Ginny, to which Ginny just groaned knowing that Luna was going to be an extreme version of herself at their join hen party. "It's going to be wild on a scale never before scene, I guarantee it."

They all laughed as they left the courtroom. Once they had exited, they came face to face with Pyrites who had clearly been waiting for Team Avatar to finish up with the Firelord.

"Go on." Harry said to his friends when he locked eyes with the older man. "I think Pyrites would like to speak with me alone. I'll catch up with y'all back at the Palace."

The others nodded at Harry's words and left after a round of goodbyes. Harry was looking forward to a relaxing night with his friends and trusted them to sort out that night while he dealt with Pyrites. He did have a few questions to ask Pyrites given the man's actions during the last few days of their rebellion, and he could tell the former Death Eater wanted a final word with him as well.

"Well Avatar this is it." Pyrites said with a smile once the pair were alone. "Our long journey together seems to finally be coming to a close. It has been a wild ride I must admit, but the ending is one of two I had foreseen. Better than the other one as that ended up with my sexy as dead and forgotten, now I am a hero who will be remembered for eternity for my actions in bringing down two of the most notorious enemies of the world that an Avatar has ever had to face."

"I guess it is." Harry said with a curt nod at Pyrites. Even after knowing the man for almost 18 months Harry still did not understand the former Death Eater in front of him. "Will you be here tomorrow?"

"To hear Druzok commute Hermione's sentence to life without parole and transfer her to the Kyoshi Warriors and whatever prison you have set up for her and have somehow managed to keep the location from me?" Pyrites asked causing Harry to quirk an eyebrow at the accuracy of Pyrites' words, though Harry wasn't surprised that the spymaster had figured all of that out already. "Probably. I would rather see her dead and her ashes scattered to the winds but this is still satisfying, a life in solitary confinement is worse than death in my opinion, trust me I lived it for 5 years."

"I should have figured you would know why I wanted to speak to the Firelord." Harry said shaking his head. "And I know, I was the one who threw you into solitary in the first place."

"It was obvious to any who knew the situation." Pyrites said with a shrug. "Or to any student of human behavior and I am such a student."

"So, do you think it is the right move?" Harry asked. He didn't particularly care for Pyrites' opinion on the matter but the man had a different way of looking at the world, a way that could be useful, so Harry had asked for it anyway.

"Logically yes, personally no." Pyrites said in his usual blunt, businesslike tone. "To me one less mudblood, or at least one less former mudblood I should say after you stripped that bitch of her bending, is a good thing in my books. Especially when it is someone like Hermione who proves that all my prejudices against them are more than justified."

"Careful where you tread." Harry warned as Pyrites seemed to be about to go off on another bigoted rant of his. "My mother is what you would call a mudblood and is nothing like Hermione."

"There are always exceptions but given the fact that you are one of the few beings who could best me in combat, I will refrain from preaching my views." Pyrites said with a smirk that told Harry the man wasn't apologetic at all. "Anyway, I can also see where you are coming from in not wanting to make her a symbol of her movement and just burying her in the annals of history. It is what they World Leaders did with Zaheer after all, despite the fact that he murdered the Earth Queen and should have been executed, he represented too much to too many people to be executed."

"It was the same for Voldemort." Harry pointed out. "Though I had forgotten about Zaheer, and Kuvira for that matter, they were both of similar significance to Hermione and Voldemort."

"I disagreed with Voldemort's life sentence." Pyrites said but not disagreeing with Harry's assessment of the four infamous Avatar antagonists. "However, that was more to do with the fact that death would have been a mercy to a man of true vision after what you did to him. Not that it wasn't damn effective and making him live with it was worse than any other punishment my master could have endured, it is no wonder that it broke him. So, I really don't care what happens to the former mudblood, kill her or sentence her to life in a single person prison in the middle of nowhere for all I care, but I shall be here to see her either executed or sent away for life regardless."

"Ok and what do you plan to do with your freedom once this is all over?" Harry asked. Pyrites' assessment of his plan had been what Harry had expected, indifference but acknowledgment of the logic behind Harry's plan.

"Bearing in mind that you are on a lifetime parole and can never leave the Fire Nation." Harry added with a smile at Pyrites.

"Oh, I know that stipend very well." Pyrites said smiling right back at him. "I knew that once you defeated the Dark Lord and took his bending that the Purist Movement was dead and that we who believed in that righteous philosophy, though I was never a zealot just a believer, would never win against you. Therefore, when I accepted this deal I made the wise decision that if I survived, as I intended to, I would retire someplace nice, once we won that is. I plan to live out my days, the many decades I expect to live for, in comfort, warmth and luxury, well and fame after what I have done here. I still have plenty of money and most of it legit from my businesses so I will use that to buy a nice, palatial, mansion out on Ember Island and retire there where all the richest citizens retire."

"No more information gathering?" Harry asked skeptically. "No more criminal network or illegitimate businesses or manipulation of the system from the shadows."

"The criminal network was always more Scabior than myself." Pyrites said with a shrug. "Though we did overlap a little when I needed a contract killer or access to some hookers for a blackmail scheme or some thugs to carry out a little burglary of sensitive information. As for my thirst for information, well it ain't a crime for my many friends to keep me well informed in the goings on in the world now is it? If that information happens to help me out in some way, who am I to complain."

"I guess not." Harry said with a sigh, there was no changing for a man like Pyrites. All Harry could do was limit his future contacts with the man as much as was humanly possible. "But all of that will be up to Druzok and how he wants to handle you, you're his problem now."

"Druzok and I will get on fine." Pyrites said with absolute confidence. "We are like oil and water but he knows I will never do anything to fuck up my parole, of that you can be sure."

"Yes, I can, it is the only way to control you." Harry said with a sigh. "Very well, it has, well not exactly a pleasure given your views, but certainly an experience working with you. As I always say one should know those of differing views, no matter how vile or repugnant, so as to better understand them and see where that person is trying to come from, no matter how wrong that is. These days, other than you, only Regulus can articulate the views of Purists articulately and without becoming unbearably vile, though at least in Regulus' case he has forsworn those views."

"Aw Avatar you're going to make me blush." Pyrites taunted with a twisted smirk on his face. "But yes, most of the people I know who share my views aren't the most pleasant people to moderate like yourself. Those who are more refined and cultured, well Lucius practically pisses narcissism and shits arrogance so he's hard to stomach after a while and I doubt prison has mellowed him at all. Though I shall not change, it has been fun helping you take down an enemy of mine and being free once more, with a certain limitation of course."

"Well, while we will never see eye to eye, I at least have more of an understanding for where you come from, even if I disagree with you on practically everything." Harry said before he reached into his jacket and pulled out two envelopes and handed them to Pyrites.

The first was green, edged in blue, with a wax seal bearing the crest of Omashu while the other was blue and edged in yellow with a wax seal bearing the Royal Crest of the Southern Water Tribe. Both letters where made from expensive paper and looked very official.

Pyrites' eyebrows raised as he took them and opened them, for once appearing to be surprised by something that Harry had done. That was confirmed by the slightly widening of Pyrites' eyes as the man read the contents of the letters

"They are your only allowed times outside of the Fire Nation in the foreseeable future and you will be under constant monitoring by the Kyoshi Warriors should you decide accept them." Harry said as soon as Pyrites had finished reading the cards and turned a slightly quizzical gaze upon the Avatar. "We debated a while whether or not to offer them but in the end we felt that you had earned at least an invite after all that you had done, providing you are on your best behavior. If you aren't, well you can imagine what my fiancé will do to you if you ruin her wedding."

"You are cordially invited to attend the wedding between Avatar Harry and Princess Ginny of the Southern Water Tribe to be held at nightfall on the summer solstice in King Bumi Park, Imperial State of Omashu." Pyrites read aloud from the first card before turning to the other card, the one with the Southern Water Tribe's Royal Crest on it. "You are cordially invited to attend the wedding between Prince Ronald of the Southern Water Tribe and Monk Luna of the Western Air Temple to be held on the first winter solstice following the Avatar's wedding in the Southern Water Tribal Palace. P.S. Pyrites you had better bring an expensive and legally obtained gift to both weddings and keep your views to yourself the entire time."

Pyrites look at Harry with amusement in his eyes. The spymaster may not have expected this but he certainly found it funny.

"Honestly while I presumed y'all were engaged, I didn't actually know until the end of the rebellion." Pyrites said as he tucked the invitations into his expensive and hand tailored robes. "I shall of course attend, though the gifts may be hard to find given that I can honestly say I have no idea how legal most of my shit that I use as gifts is but I will find something. Also, I am not that surprised at the invites and while I shall not impede my free speech rights but I will try not to drop racial or homophobic slurs. I have heard of what your fiancé is capable of with only a hunting knife, I do not want to experience that first hand thank you very much."

"Thank you." Harry said with a small nod. "Then I shall see you there. Now I must go and find my friends before Ron and Luna decide to try and test the public decency laws, again."

"Ah I do not envy the duties of the Avatar and his exhibitionist friends." Pyrites said with a smile. "And I have a young 20-year-old pureblood, hopefully virginal, pussy to go and destroy. Seems a few of the sympathizers survived Hermione's purges by hiding in the far-flung countryside and well I am almost like a god to them for what I did to bring the cunt, despite my treachery to the Dark Lord."

Harry chose not to respond, it was best to not ask for any more information from Pyrites than was absolutely necessary, but he did shake his head at Pyrites before he turned and left the former Death Eater. Harry would probably, well hopefully, see the man 3 more times in his life and while he had grown to respect Pyrites as a man, though not his views despite respecting his right to hold them, Harry would never call him a friend. Remembering something he had wanted to ask the former Death Eater over a year ago Harry turned and called back to Pyrites before the latter left the courthouse.

"I've been meaning to ask, when we came to the gates of the Palace with the combined United Forces and restored Fire Nation Army last year, why did you kneel before Druzok?" Harry asked the older man before adding. "Also, how did the 4 of you get there?"

"I was wondering if you were ever going to ask about that Avatar." Pyrites said turning to call out his answer. "As to the second question you posed, it was easy. Once you let Seamus and I know of the plan that the World Leaders and military commanders had come up with, we went straight to the city through the tunnels we had created to smuggle in troops prior to the failed Battle of the Caldera. We then found Oliver and Katie holed up in the safe house y'all had used."

"They had made it there?" Harry asked, that was something knew to him as Oliver and Katie had been vague about what had happened to them."

"They were wounded but they had survived the battle and fled there as soon as they could safely do so." Pyrites confirmed. "While there, we treated the wounds and then decided to see if you had arrived. We saw that the Enforcers had gathered and so we crept behind them and realized that the entrance to the Palace was unguarded, likely due to the military desertion, so we stayed there until you arrived as we knew the Enforcers would surrender to your superior forces. As for the bow, well that had been their idea on the spot when you arrived, not mine. While I may not agree with Druzok, he is my rightful ruler and the VV cameras were on so I had to kneel. In the end it helped me so I don't care. Now Avatar I really must go, a fresh cunt awaits my pureblood cock."

Harry sighed at the answer and turned back to continue to walk back to the Palace, looking forward to relaxing and having all this shit over soon and never having to deal with Pyrites again for the rest of his life. Only a day or two more left until all this would finally be behind them and Harry could close the second major chapter of his life so as to open his third, starting a family with the woman he loved.

* * *

The next day the courtroom was once more packed to bursting as many people wanted to see Hermione's fate as had wanted to see her trial. The judges were back in their seats for the last time during their tenure with the ICTFU while Harry and Neville were seated at the prosecution table. Druzok stood tall and proud in the center of the courtroom waiting to do his duty under Fire Nation law for those convicted of High Treason. All that they were waiting for was now Hermione so that she may learn her ultimate fate.

Harry had done a little research the night before into the High Treason charge to brush up on the process and realized that should Druzok decide to execute Hermione, he would present her a series of choices, all approved by international laws regarding cruel and unusual punishment, of how she would like to be executed. It was different to the Water Tribes and the various ISEK states that had the death penalty in that the Fire Nation allowed the condemned to choose her method of execution rather than face the one prescribed by law, and choice there was.

There was the electric chair, a uniquely Fire Nation method that was the method used last time and involved a handful of firebenders sending lightning at various metal conductors not knowing which one was connected to the chair the condemned was in. However, Hermione could also choose to be beheaded as was the norm in the ISEK, hung so that her neck broke, a method usually reserved for metalbenders, or using an experimental gas method that the Northern Water Tribe had begun to use.

Harry didn't know what Hermione would chose, should Druzok decide to carry out her sentence that is, but he had a feeling that should it come to it, Hermione would choose the most dramatic and memorable way to be executed so as to further her attempt at martyrdom. Whatever the case, if Druzok upheld the death sentence, the sentence had to be carried out within 90 days and Hermione could appeal file one expediated appeal within the first 30 days.

Finally, once the crowd was seated and quieted by a bang from Bagnold's gavel, Hermione was led into the room via the defendant's side door. Once more she was fully manacled in accordance with the protocol for a high-profile prisoner and she was once again gagged after her outbursts the day before. Despite this and the looming possibility of a confirmation of her death sentence, she glared hatred and defiance at all she saw, but she especially focused on Harry, Druzok and Bagnold.

"Hermione would you like to make a statement before I make, in my position as Firelord, confirm the sentence that has been handed down upon you for your recent conviction." Druzok said as Hermione took a position standing behind the defense table and Ty La removed her gag. "Remember that you have been convicted of High Treason, along with other crimes, and now face a death sentence unless I chose to commute it to life at this point when I confirm the ultimate sentence under Fire Nation law. This is your last chance to pled for mercy and admit your multitude of crimes."

"Go fuck yourself, you illegitimate fucking tyrant." Hermione spat venomously as soon as the gag was removed and she Druzok had finished speaking. "I know that I am innocent and that those who follow and know that my views are the enlightened laws they have to be will know the truth. The entire world will know and see that you have executed an innocent woman and the only enlightened leader the world has or ever will know. I shall be a martyr to all who stand with me and see me as you burn me alive at the stake like the monster you are, a martyrdom I should have received when the Avatar captured me but refused to murder me so that your illegitimate stat could have that pleasure. No, I will not cower before your boots and lick them while I beg for you pathetic mercy asshole. Hand down my sentence of execution and start the pyre, I am ready to be cruelly burned alive for my beliefs so that the whole world can see the truth"

"Only you have executed innocents that way in this day and age and you did so without due process or a trial in violation of your victim's human rights." Druzok said, his voice heavy with pained emotion for those of his nation who had perished that way. "Ty La, gag her again while I decide what to do with this criminal's conviction for High Treason against the Fire Nation.

Ty La obeyed at once and gagged Hermione before she could unleash a tirade about how she was executing criminals and not innocent civilians who questioned her rule. It was for the best, Hermione would just rant and rave about the same old shit and they all wanted this to be over with, the former, self-proclaimed, Fire Empress could do her ranting from her prison cell when this was all over

"The methods allowed under Fire Nation law on the rare occasions that we employ the death penalty are not barbaric, unlike your own methods during your illegitimate rule of my nation." Druzok continued as Hermione was being gagged. "However, after talking with the Avatar and listening to his wisdom, a wisdom that far exceeds his youth, I have decided to not grant you your wish for martyrdom and not confirm the death sentence that the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Fire Utopia has sentenced you to pursuant to your conviction under Fire Nation law for the crime of High Treason."

Hermione's eyes went wide in shock and Harry noticed a little fear creep into them for the first time since he had been about to strip Hermione of her bending. He had to suppress a smile as he knew full well what Druzok was about to say next, Hermione's final statement had confirmed Harry's belief and solidified his advice to the Firelord on the correct course of action to take.

"By the power entrusted to me as the Firelord of the Fire Nation when dealing with a conviction of High Treason, I hereby refuse to confirm the death sentence levied against the leader of the illegitimate Fire Utopia, Hermione, and instead commute her sentence to life in prison without the possibility of parole." Druzok said in a formal, commanding, tone that everyone present or watching on VV knew was a binding royal proclamation. Druzok had taken Harry's advice and refused to confirm the death sentence due to what executing Hermione might mean in the long run.

"Due to the nature of her crimes and her status as the now former leader of the Fire Utopia and a member of the terrorist group known as the Enlightened, I am also hereby invoking the Zaheer Doctrine as is my right as the recognized leader of a nation." Druzok continued in his formal, royal, tone so that there was no doubt as to his intentions. "To those watching who may not know, the Zaheer Doctrine allows for a World Leader to send a leader of a terrorist organization or similarly declared high profile convict to a specialty Supermax Prison created specifically for that person."

At this point Druzok paused so that his decisions could sink in. Harry just nodded in agreement with the Firelord's decisions but there were a few murmurings in the crowd and frowns that Hermione had not had her death sentence confirmed. Harry knew that in time people would understand why this had to happen, especially when they forgot about Hermione in the years to come other than remembering her for her heinous crimes.

"The prison will be a single cell prison designed to hold only one person, in this case Hermione." Druzok continued after his pause as he elaborated for those present and watching on VV on what was actually going to happen to Hermione. "There she will live out the rest of her days in solitary confinement away from where she might harm, or even interact with, another living person again, other than her guards that is."

Once more Druzok paused so that the people watching could follow along. Anyone who had studied history would know that this was what had happened to Zaheer and Voldemort, so it was fitting that it would happen to Hermione as well.

"The Avatar has already informed me that one such prison exists, though its location shall remain classified to all but the Avatar, the world leaders, the members of Team Avatar and the Kyoshi Warriors who under Warden Ty La will serve as the guards." Druzok said before he turned to look at Ty La and formally asked her to take this duty upon herself and the Kyoshi Warriors. "Do you accept this request and this prisoner Warden?"

"I do." Ty La said formally with a firm nod of her head. "It will be our honor to house her until the day she dies. We have already sworn out oaths of loyalty to the Avatar regarding this prisoner and we will uphold our oaths. She will never escape."

"Thank you." Druzok said with a kind smile at his one-time bodyguard and now leader in the Kyoshi Warriors. "With all this said, I have now made my ruling. Ty La, get this terrorist, traitor, and murderer out of my sight and take her to her back to Ozai's cell in the Capitol Prison Tower. She will be transferred to this new prison personally by the Avatar at an unknown date and time, from there she can chose to appeal her sentence or not. Judges I thank you for all your assistance you are dismissed, we will discuss the next phase of the ICTFU in due time."

The judges all nodded respectfully at Druzok, wisely keeping quiet during this part of the proceedings. Harry knew that they, along with Druzok and Harry, would meet in a week or two to discuss how the appeals process would work and which judges would remain to oversee the remaining trials once the remaining fugitives were captured.

"With all this done, there is just one last thing I have to say." Druzok began causing everyone to focus one last time on the Firelord. "This painful and terrible chapter in our history is officially over with the conviction and sentence of the woman who was ultimately responsible for all of it. We can now continue to truly heal from the wounds this monster inflicted upon our great nation."

With that Druzok turned and left the room without a seconds pause to cheers from the crowd at his mercy and decision to bury Hermione. Hermione herself was bellowing against her gag, as she had been doing ever since Druzok had commuted her sentence to life without parole and had to be dragged away by two of the Kyoshi Warriors assigned to escort her between locations.

Soon the courtroom was once again empty with Pyrites being the last to leave giving the Avatar a farewell, very cocky, salute and promise to see them at the upcoming weddings. Again, Team Avatar was left with only one other person, this time however it was Ty La and not Firelord Druzok.

"When can you have the Kyoshi Airship ready?" Harry asked the girl as he used his seismic sense to make sure that they were in deed alone and could not be overheard planning the prison transfer. "I want this shit sorted out as soon as possible."

"I will be ready by tonight." Ty La responded nodding happily at him. "It has already been stocked up just in case this happened, which we all expected once Druzok realized Hermione's intentions, and all the last-minute provisions are ready to transport the criminal to her new, permanent lodgings. Everything else is already at the prison, as is a contingent of my girls awaiting their charge. When do you want to remove her?"

"Tonight at 2am." Harry said firmly. "We need to get her out of the Fire Nation as soon as we can and when no one would expect so that no one tries anything foolish like attempting to free her. Bring her to the lava plain outside the Capital Prison Tower in a set of iron, not platinum shackles and make sure that your airship is already in the air and heading south. I know that is not protocol but iron will make my life easier and this whole process a lot smoother. Luna will fly me there and then all of us up to the airship on Pandora. We will board while in midair and leave as soon as I am on board."

"Do I get a say in any of this." Luna piped up. "I don't particularly want to be up at 2 in the morning, especially after a marathon sex session."

"No Luna, you do not get a say." Harry said shaking his head at his friend. "We need you to fly Pandora to the airship and back. Then you can return to sleep."

"Fine." Luna pouted but Harry knew that Luna wouldn't actually complain given the importance of her job tonight.

"Sounds like a good plan." Ty La said with her usual happy smile. "I look forward to once again resuming my warden duties and in a new, though no less pleasant, prison. More hardships to make us stronger as a unit and as warriors. The location is perfect not only for our training but for the prisoner, I am ready to start as soon as we get Hermione to her new cell. I must leave now and make final preparations, I will see you tonight Avatar Harry."

With that Ty La kart wheeled out of the courtroom for no logical reason but making Harry laugh at the bubbly young woman. He turned to his friends and smiled. At last it was almost over.

"I will go to Omashu from the prison." Harry told them as they all began to head towards the courtroom's exit. "There are a few wedding things that I need to look over, I don't trust King Wu on his own with the planning. I will meet y'all there when you are ready to come and assist me. This is the last thing we need to do here, other than sorting out the appeals system in a few weeks. Otherwise, from this point on we can leave the Fire Nation in the capable hands of Firelord Druzok."

The others nodded at Harry's words and they all left the courtroom together. There was only one more thing was needed to do to end this chapter in the Fire Nation's long and turbulent history.

* * *

That night Luna guided Pandora to the lava plain that was outside the front of the Capital Prison Tower. On the lava plain stood Ty La with a shackled and still gagged Hermione, apparently the convicted murderer had continued to berate everyone to the point that Ty La felt that she had to be gagged, not that Harry was complaining at all about not having to hear Hermione rant and insult him.

Hermione was now wearing gray prison clothes now to represent her special prisoner/single person prison, status. Harry knew that there would be spares at the prison, along with all the other necessities that she would need while in prison. Still, Ty La carried a bag over her shoulder that Harry knew had Hermione's few personal effects from her cell and which she was allowed to keep in her new prison. The time for transfer to that prison was at hand.

As soon as Pandora had landed, Harry reached out and took hold of the iron chains with his metalbending and lifted the startled and protesting girl up and into the saddle. Ty La followed with an acrobatic leap and complicated flip. As soon as the Kyoshi Warrior was in the saddle, Luna gave the command and Pandora took off.

"The airship is on the other side of the prison, behind the mountain it is set into." Ty La called out and Luna nodded guiding the bison to where the airship would be. "It is heading south so as to leave a false trail for anyone who might wish to follow us and learn where this bitch is being transported too."

"Good." Harry said to the Kyoshi Warrior. "No problems getting her packed up and removed, or during the final preparations?"

"None." Ty La said with a smile. "Had to gag the bitch and chi block her to get the restraints on as all she has been doing since the communication of her sentence is ranting about how much of a coward Druzok is for not executing her and how she is innocent of all her crimes, you know the usual bullshit. After a while I had no desire to listen, I expect I will be hearing a lot from her in the coming decades, so I decided to gag her while she was being taken to the airship's holding cell. The chi blocking was cos she was being uncooperative."

"Both are within your purview to do as her warden." Harry said with a nod. "No last minute attempts too free her?"

"No one came to try and free her so we should be safe." Ty La confirmed. "Just as no one came for her during the last 13 months she has been detained pending trial. Just in case though, we will take a circuitous route to the prison so the journey will take 24 hours. The airship is fully stocked and with the supplies we already have there, we won't need resupplying for at least 6 months and that process has already been perfected after our time guarding Pyrites."

"I knew that I could rely on the Kyoshi Warriors to be efficient and professional with this." Harry said with a smile at Ty La and though it was dark, he was certain that the young woman was blushing at his compliment. "Anyway, once we get into the airship take her to the holding cell we can leave Hermione there until we arrive, excluding when her guards bring her her meals that is. It's good to know that this will be over soon."

"Agreed." Ty La said with a nod while Hermione continued to protest into her gag and tug on her restraints while they talked about her impeding prison transfer as if she wasn't there, which clearly annoyed Hermione a lot.

Soon they saw the airship slowly flying south. Luna steered her bison towards it and brought Pandora up alongside the cargo bay, its door already open and a Kyoshi Warrioor waiting for them. Now was the most dangerous part but one Harry was confident in his abilities to pull off.

With a practiced motion, Harry reached out and took hold of the metal chains once more and levitated the protesting Hermione and threw her into the waiting arms of the burly earthbending warrior who had been at the last prison the Kyoshi Warriors had guarded. Ty La just leapt into the airship with a joyous laugh and an acrobatic flip while Harry used a little airbending to get in after her.

"See you soon Luna, thank you." Harry called back to his tired friend.

"No worries Harry, we are always here for you." Luna called as she began to turn Pandora back to the Capital. "Though I am annoyed I had to give up a round 3 with Ron tonight for this. Oh well, he won't mind when I get back wake him up with a blow job to signal the resumption of round 3."

"She really is a little weird." Ty La said idly as Luna disappeared towards the Royal Palace. "But I like her."

"She is Luna and that is all you need to know." Harry said with a laugh as he closed the door and they walked into the airship.

Hermione had already been taken to the holding cell when Harry and Ty La walked into the airship that Harry had been in only once before but still remembered its layout after all these years. Harry was exhausted, he had been up all night preparing for this. He excused himself and went to the room he had occupied when they had transported Pyrites to his prison and then traveled on to Ba Sing Se while Ty La returned to her own quarters as the highest ranking officer on board.

Harry needed sleep and to prepare for the final stage of the transfer. After that, he could walk away and never see Hermione again.

* * *

The next day, after spending the night flying southwest to make sure that they weren't being followed, the airship turned and made its way towards the prison that Harry and Hedwig had constructed over the last year. Now that they knew that they weren't being followed, they made up what time they could but it was still night by the time they reached the latest specialty prison for a high profile prisoner.

While night was the best time to conduct the transfer Harry wanted Hermione to know exactly the situation she was in so they would wait for morning. Ty La agreed with his assessment over dinner with her and the other Kyoshi Warriors in the airship's mess hall so they just moored the airship on the ground and got some more sleep. In the morning, they would introduce Hermione to her new home.

* * *

The next morning Harry, dressed in a loose pair of brown silk pants, a simple vest with no shirt and special shoes for the terrain, left the airship and inhaled the dry, hot, and sandy air. The location they had found for Hermione was right in the center of the Si Wong Desert. As soon as Ty La had suggested the location and Harry had seen it for himself, he had known that it was perfect.

The prison was located so deep in the hostile sea of sand that not even the sandbenders ventured this far into the dunes. The only way to get here safely was by airship, though a sand-sailer would reach the place given time, supplies and a skilled and determined crew.

The prison itself was made to look like an old fort in the center of the desert, just like any other outpost for the Imperial Army in the ISEK, complete with a large central building and a series of outer ones for storage, recreation and living in. While it was nowhere near as cold as Pyrites Prison in Golguth, it was no less unpleasant as it was only morning and already Harry was covered in a fine layer of sweat and sand.

Harry knew that should Hermione somehow manage to escape she would die in the desert before she got 10 miles away from this place, and before she reached the outer patrol of the Kyoshi Warriors stationed here to guard her. It was a perfect location, inhospitable, deadly, and easily defensible should someone somehow find this place and who was kept prisoner here.

Once the girls were ready and had transported all the remaining provisions, they would use the same rotation they had for Pyrites, Hermione was led out of the airship in full restraints, still iron, and into the searing heat. She shuffled from her restraints and her eyes went wide when she saw her new living situation, Harry saw the realization of how truly isolated she was in her eyes and knew that this had been the right punishment for the illegitimate Fire Empress.

The gag had been reapplied and Hermione tried to scream into it as she glared at Harry but the oppressive heat quickly sapped her will as she began to sweat from the intense sun. Ty La walked behind the girl as Harry walked in front and took her into the large central building of the prison, the cool shade of it feeling great after only moments in the sun. In the center was a stone circle that showed signs of earthbending while supplies lined the walls in the hollow building.

Once they were all on the earth circle Harry lowered his hand and as he did, he lowered them into the earth. This was what had taken so long to make the prison, the entire prison complex itself, including the single cell it housed was underground, just like the Catacombs underneath Ba Sing Se.

After about 100 yards they reached an opening and walked off the platform into a short corridor earthbent into the hard ground. There were 2 girls here already on guard duty and a door to the side indicated a guard station, kitchen, toilet, and barracks. Harry ignored the girls as they came to attention and saluted him and Ty La as he proceeded down the short, torchlight corridor to another platform.

Once again, Harry lowered the platform deeper into the earth once they were all on it. As they were underground it was much cooler down here that it was up top, which was the point given the prison's location. Glowing green crystals illuminated their way down so that they weren't descending into darkness.

"And we have just entered international territory." Ty La informed Hermione as they sank deeper into the earth and passed a chalked line of the side of the shaft. "That's how deep the hole you are being buried in is, it's not even part of the ISEK despite being beneath the Si Wong Desert."

Hermione's protests were finally gone, her energy was sapped and her will, at least for the moment was broken. Harry could see it in her eyes once they reached the final depth, half a mile beneath the surface of the desert, Hermione had finally been truly defeated.

All the fight had now left Hermione as the full realization of her fate finally hit her full force. She was only 22 years old and would likely be here, buried beneath the desert in a nation that was not her own and locked in a single cell for at least 50 years, probably longer. She would never leave, never see another soul other than the guards, never rule or preach her views again. It was a fate worse than death and she knew it. What was worst of all, no one who still supported her knew where she was.

"Remove the gag." Harry said as they walked down the second, slightly longer, torchlight corridor. The only door was at the end with a small flap at the bottom and millions of tiny holes in it for air circulation while a Kyoshi Warrior stood guard outside of it. "I doubt Hermione has any protest left."

Harry was right as Hermione hung her head and stayed quiet once the gag was removed and she was led to the door at the end. Harry raised his hand and the door slid to the side under his earthbending revealing Hermione's home for the rest of her natural life.

Inside was a bed bent into the side wall with a thin blanket, mattress pad, and pillow on it and a shelf bent into the earth above it containing a fresh set of spare clothes, toiletries, toilet roll and several bottles of water for Hermione's use. A hole in the opposite back corner for use as a toilet. Holes above it indicated that it doubled as a shower corner. Lastly there was a desk in the near corner with a few worn, used books on it to amuse Hermione, bent out of the wall with a smooth, stone stool bent out of the floor in front of it. The only light in the cell came from a green glow crystal set into the wall that gave off a soft glow, enough to read by but not enough to be too harsh.

Ty La pushed Hermione, who had stopped in her tracks in the doorway to look at the small cell, into her final cell. Once Hermione had stumbled into the cell, Harry raised his hand and metal bend the cuffs off her and pulled them back so that Ty La could take them and store them with the platinum set they had here just in case they were ever needed.

"I hope it was all worth it." Harry said sadly to the dejected Hermione as she rubbed her wrists and turned to look at him from within her new cell. "Because you will never leave here again. You have the rest of your long life to think of what you have done and why you have ended up here. I hope that you find remorse in time for all the crimes you have committed, all the lives lost or forever ruined all because of your warped understanding of equality and enlightenment, your thirst for power and desire to hold onto it at all costs. You are here because of your own prejudices and fears that anything against what you said would undermine you led you to commit atrocities seldom seen throughout the course of human history. Goodbye Hermione, I honestly wish this had never happened, that we could have been friends instead of enemies, but alas you made the decisions that led you down a path that you could not come back from and which has brought you to this point. I said all I needed to last year when I caught you, now all you have is time, a lot of it, to think about everything that you have done. Farewell forever Hermione, my the spirits someday have mercy on your soul."

Before Hermione could respond and hurl one last insult or piece of abuse at Harry, he turned on his heel and slammed the cell door behind him using earthbending, locking Hermione away as she began her life sentence. Ty La staying behind as a guard with the other girl already stationed here. There would always be at least 2 guards outside Hermione's cell, and one had to be an earthbender to operate the platforms, but the logistics of Hermione's incarceration were no longer Harry's concerns, they were in the trusted and experienced hands of Ty La.

Harry smiled as he walked away. At last his second great foe had been caught, tried, sentenced, and locked away for the rest of her life. Once more peace and balance had prevailed thanks to the Avatar and his friends.

Now Harry could focus on happier and more joyous things that were on the horizon for him and those who he loved. Once more his mission to save the world from imbalance, or in this case just a single nation, was over. Once more they had won.

 **There is is, the end of Book 2 and the culmination of Harry's second major antagonist. To those who either like Hermione or want her to return, rest assured she will reappear in Books 3 and 4 (though only briefly in the latter), as well as feature in her own spinoff series, as well as a special spinoff series that will begin its debut after Book3. There is still a short (by this story's standards at least) epilogue that will be released in the coming day and before the deadline for this Book to be fully uploaded (based on weekly uploads) which is Monday. The epilogue will tie up this story with something sweet and hinted at so that there is a nice ending to all this. There will also be a longer note after the epilogue detailing the release dates for Book 3 (specific book title will not be released until the release date), as well as details about an upcoming spinoff that will be written and published during the gab between Books 2 and 3. Also sorry for a few longer speeches, I have been trying to break up large chunks of text but that has proven difficult on occasions so there are a few times when a character will ramble for a little longer than he or she should but oh well. Anyway, that's all for this post chapter note, a** ** **s always** ** ** ** ** **keep letting me know what you think of this story in the reviews and any questions asked in reviews or PMs to me will be answered at the start of next week's chapter, which should be released on time Until next time.************

 ** ** ** ** ** **Stringdog************


	33. Epilogue

********Here it is, the epilogue to Book 2 and therefore the final upload in the second chapter of Avatar Harry's life. Unlike the last two chapters, the epilogue is actually being released before its scheduled release date (January 28th) and therefore this story has been completed ahead of schedule by two days. This book turned out to be a lot longer word wise than anticipated but the draft was written 18 months ago so a lot changes in that time, I am pretty sure that Book 3 will be shorter in word length given the nature of it but I cannot guarantee that at this time. Anyway, n******** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** **othing**************** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** **else to add here so sit back and enjoy the final installment in Avatar: The Tale of Harry. Book 2: Equality.****************

 ** ** ** ** **Disclaimer:********** ** ** **As always I own nothing related to either of these two great works of fiction.******

 **Epilogue**

At last, the day that Harry had been waiting for had finally come. Harry stood in his finest suit cut in the latest fashion from Ba Sing Se, complete with full Earth Kingdom colors and history. It had been a gift from King Wu, one of many as the Earth King had insisted on paying for the ceremony, well at least everything that was occurring within Earth Kingdom territory.

Wu had also insisted on personally officiating the ceremony, which given the fact that he was paying for this part of the ceremony meant that Harry could say no to his King's wishes. Harry had had to use earthbending so the aged and frail monarch could stand, under a white archway at the edge of King Bumi Park, but it was no problem for the Avatar and Harry wanted to help his King out.

Next to Harry was Ron and Neville in their finest outfits from their respective nations. Opposite was Luna in a bright, eye watering, yellow dress as the maid of honor and a very disgruntled looking Hedwig with frilly collar and flowers under her neck as the badgermole pawed at the earth but otherwise remained well behaved. As the Avatar's animal companion she had to be there, but it took all of Harry's control to avoid his badgermole making a scene and he knew that she would be interesting later when Harry could no longer keep an eye on her. It was the night of the summer solstice and the day of Harry and Ginny's wedding had arrived.

The wedding of the Avatar and the only Princess of the Southern Water Tribe, at least princess by blood as Fleur was a princess by marriage, was to be the event of the decade and the invites seen as the most exclusive and prized ones in years. All the World Leaders, along with the respective families sat in the front row of the outdoor venue. Behind them, friends from all walks of Harry and Ginny's life had gathered and were seated awaiting the ceremony to begin.

Pyrites was also in attendance, a few of Harry's detractors saw this as controversial given Pyrites' views and history but given what the former spymaster had done for them in liberating the Fire Nation, few saw it as a truly bad thing that Pyrites was there. Besides, while he was sitting in the second row, there were two fully garbed and armed Kyoshi Warriors on either side, much to Pyrites' displeasure, who were there to keep an eye on the man. That being said, the fact that the former Death Eater got an invite to such an exclusive and prestigious event had not helped lessen the man's incredible ego and he had been bragging about this for weeks according to Druzok.

Yes it would be a grand affair and all paid for by the various World Leaders, who had ultimately gotten into a pissing contest with each other over the wedding and their contributions to it, until Harry's mother was forced to intervene and chastise them like spoilt children. Harry had never seen the collective leaders of the various nations look so chastised as they had when his mother had told them off but it had had the intended results, they had all worked together to provide the best wedding possible for the Avatar and his love.

That was why they now had a lot of ice sculptures of Harry and Ginny tastefully placed around the park and maintained by a team of waterbenders. There were also statues of the other members of Team Avatar, and those who had fought by their sides against Voldemort and Hermione, all depicted scenes of their many victories. There were also earth statues of similar events everywhere. The earth statues would be auctioned off the following day to help raise money for the Victims of Hermione fund that Druzok had set up to help heal the Fire Nation.

Along with earth and water to represent to couple, there were other symbols from all the other nations. Druzok had somehow managed to persuade Lily to allow for a dragon fly coordinated and led by Charlie to fly over after the wedding right after they exchanged vows, though Harry knew his mother was already regretting that part. It was to be followed by a bison display from all five Air Temples that Milo had insisted on.

Wu, not wanting to be outdone by his fellow World Leaders, had tried to create a full 6 hour spectacle telling the history of the Earth Kingdom, including a full 2 hours at the end to detail Harry's personal history. However, that had to be put down by Harry due to length, cost, and the fact that knowing King Wu it would be way too elaborate. No, while the wedding would be grand in its own way, it would also be simple at the same time.

Harry smiled as he looked out over the gathered attendants and his friends while he awaited his bride. The world had been at peace ever since the end of the Fire Utopia almost 2 years ago and now they could look forward to a brighter future. There was still a lot to do to full right the wrongs of the Fire Utopia, and a handful of criminals to track down, but with Hermione buried beneath the desert, their only real enemy was the elusive Enlightened leaders who had gone underground since Hermione's defeat. Today, though, they could wait because today, and all that had recently led up to it, was one of joy.

As he was waiting, Harry thought back to his bachelor party three weeks before, or at least what he could remember of it, and the first true moment of fun he had had since before Voldemort had first attacked the Elemental Academy. Again various cities had bided on the honor of hosting the Avatar's bachelor party but in the end Ba Sing Se won as it was the capital of Harry's home nation and as such the most fitting city outside of Omashu. At least that was where the party had begun and the intention had been to remain there. Harry remembered the night starting in the Upper Ring but that the last thing he remembered before waking up in a cold drunk tank … in the Southern Water Tribal capital.

He had thought it must have been a wild night if he woke up in a different country, until he learned that he, Ron, Neville, Seamus and the other male friends he had made over the years and who had been present at the party had gone a fortnight long bender that had left a trail of destruction across all 7 nations. Harry learned that Neville had somehow ended up in the Northern Water Tribe, Seamus in the Southern Air Temple asleep in the arms of a statue of Avatar Aang, and Ron in the Western Air Temple cuddling with a baby bison in the bison pens out there. Ron had also taken the long way there, via the Foggy Swamp Tribe, while the others were scattered all over the world. Yes it was a stag do that would go down in history as unparalleled, which had been Ron's intentions, and in a league of its own.

Of course Luna had not divulged any secrets about the hen party to anyone. Harry knew that it had been a wild night for Ginny as well and that a good portion of Gaoling had been damaged by airbending, which given that the party began in the Southern Water Tribe capital was saying something, but other than that Harry knew nothing and frankly he didn't want to know either.

It had taken Harry a full week to recover while the last few details were being planned and now he was at last about to get married. He was nervous but also excited at the same time as he couldn't wait to start the rest of his life, and a family, with the love of his life. There was a gasp and everyone turned to see that Ginny had arrived on her father's arm at the entrance to the ceremony.

Harry smiled, Ginny had never looked more beautiful in her life. It was clear that Fleur had been in charge of getting Ginny ready, and had banned Luna from making any suggestions apparently, and she looked radiant in a white dress edged in deep blue. Her long red hair was down and done in the classic formal Southern Water Tribal fashion complete with braids and the two hair loops that Katara had made famous, along with a white veil that fell over Ginny's face. The only slightly off thing were the long white sleeves that went from Ginny's palms all the way up to her shoulders, but Harry had a feeling that they had been a concession to Molly to hide the tattoos that adorned Ginny's forearms and shoulders. Besides, the sleeves matched the dress so it all worked

Harry grinned like an idiot as Ginny was led up the aisle before she said goodbye to her father and he went to sit by his crying wife in the front row. Harry took her hand and they moved to stand in front of Wu to begin the service.

"Harry, your drooling a little." Ginny whispered to him with a giggle. "And you look as dashing as ever."

"Sorry, you take my breath away." Harry said as he tried and failed to subtly wipe his mouth. "You always do."

"Well let's get married already then." Ginny whispered with a slight blush as Wu began.

"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today in the Imperial State of Omashu, and not as I wanted in the Imperial Palace in Ba Sing Se, to celebrate the union between two people who are deeply in love." Wu began in his usual joyful tone and everyone fell silent for the Earth King's speech. "We are here for two of the most important people in the world, Avatar Harry from the Imperial State of Omashu, and Princess Ginevra from the Southern Water Tribe. Words can never truly describe what you have done for the world since Harry was revealed to be the Avatar and your Team almost instantly had to take on not only a resurgence of one of the greatest threats the world has ever known but the emergence of a second threat that had the potential to be even more devastating than the first. In true Avatar fashion, you defeated the forces of evil and restored peace and balance to the world won. I could go on for days, and in the future I will do just that, but the people here to celebrate your love and not me, and, well, we all want to party to start so I will now perform the vows."

Wu paused to allow a light laugh from the gathered attendees. Harry himself smiled, as much as he liked his King, Wu did have a habit of rambling and this was not the time or place for that. After the laughter had died down, Wu turned to Ginny and began the simple vows that they couple had decided to use.

"Do you Princess Ginevra, take Avatar Harry to be your husband and all that that entails, in sickness and in health until death do you part."

"I do." Ginny said loudly looking into Harry's eyes through her veil.

"And do you Avatar Harry, take Princess Ginevra in all the aforementioned stuff." Wu said with an impatient wave of his hand in a fashion that Wu had become known for over the decades.

"I do." Harry said chuckling at Wu's words.

"Then by the power vested in me as the 54th Earth Monarch, I hereby pronounce you husband and wife." Wu said to cheers from the crowd. "Now kiss her already so we can get this party started and I can get my minder drunk so I can be free to enjoy myself and serenade you with the song I wrote especially for tonight."

Harry laughed as he raised Ginny's veil and took her into his arms. She snaked her arms around his neck and he looked deep into her eyes filled with love for him. Once more he smiled as he leaned down to his wife. At last there was peace and stability in the world, for the time being at least. There would be more fights to come, they all knew that, but they also knew that they would overcome them whenever they faced them. Tonight, though, was one for celebration and peace.

Harry leaned down and kissed his wife for the first time. As the crowd cheered, he and Ginny lost themselves in the bliss of the moment and all that they had fought for to reach this point. Today was their moment of triumph and ultimately their moment of peace. Today everything was perfect as Harry and Ginny continued to kiss at the altar to the cheers of the world that they had twice saved from evil.

This night was the culmination of all Harry and his friends had achieved. Nothing could take it away from him and his future with the woman he loved. With Ginny and his friends by his side, Harry would continue to work to maintain peace and balance in the world and keep all citizens safe from the evils that prevailed in it whenever those evils reared their ugly heads. Harry would tackle any problems that arose, they all would, together as Team Avatar and nothing would stop them from maintaining that peace and balance.

Tonight was an example of their triumphs, of their successes in restoring peace and balance to the world. At last, everything in Harry's life was perfect.

 **I hope y'all enjoyed Book 2 as this short and sweet little epilogue of Harry and Ginny's wedding is the culmination of Avatar: The Tale of Harry. Book 2: Equality. Book 3 has been completely drafted and will contain the same number of chapters as Book 2 (and theoretically Book 5 as well but that is only in the storyboard phase at the moment) but as with Book 2, Book 3 and its subtitle theme will not be released until June 18th, the anniversary of the release date of Book 1 (note that Book 2 was released on June 18th but because it was released at around 7am GMT, fanfiction recorded the release date as June 17th because for this site,a new day starts at GMT-8). Book 3 will jump forward in time and deal will deal with Harry facing new challenges but as with Book 1 in this series, his challenges will be drawn from the challenges that Harry faces in the cannon along with inspiration drawn from the Avatar series. This is contrary to Books 2, 4, and 5, all deal with situations that I have come up with myself but used names from the cannon in my own ways so as to fit them into this crossover series.  
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 **Though there will be a long break between Books 2 and 3, there will still be tales from this series because beginning in 2 weeks, I will be uploading the first spinoff story of this series. It is a spinoff that has been hinted at before and will be a stand alone, 12 chapter spinoff that will be released between Books 2 and 3 (another spinoff will come out between Books 3 and 4). As of right now, the working title of the spinoff is _The Path to Redemption: Regulus' Journey_ which as the title suggests will detail Regulus' first hand account of how his brief time as a Death Eater, his realization that he was wrong, his defection, and his journey from the Foggy Swamp to Omashu via the Fire Nation as he tries to stay alive and ahead of his former master's servants. It will be a tale of redemption, of humbling, of how views can change when you leave your echo chamber bubble and see the real world, and will show Regulus' thoughts as he struggles to find himself as who he truly is and his journey to find redemption for his sins. This was a tale that has been briefly eluded to in the past and will be the first spinoff. There are others in the works that deal with Pyrites' story and how Hermione became the villain the world now knows her as but those are still years away.  
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 **Anyway, that is enough for this long post story note as I sum up what is to come. Any questions in reviews or PMs about this story or future works will be answered either during the Regulus spinoff or during Avatar: The Tale of Harry. Book 3: (REDACTED). Until either the Regulus spinoff or Book 3.**

 **Stringdog**


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